Art Marcum and Matt Holloway (Iron Man) were originally hired to write the screenplay, but it’s unknown what happened to that. It’s also unknown what direction this new film will be taking, but fans have been hoping to see the more dark Turtles from the comics, than the kid friendly ones we’ve seen in the previous films. Michael Bay’s Platinum Dunes is producing this reboot, so how bad could it be?

Source: Bleeding Cool

According to The Hollywood Reporter, Viacom COO Tom Dooley announced that Paramount is possibly eying a release for the upcoming reboot ofTeenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, Zoolander 2, and G.I. Joe 2 in 2012 or 2013.  The script for each film is currently being written, but the studio is hoping to release the films beyond September 2011. That could mean sometime late-2012 or early-2013. The other films mentioned was the Jack Ryan reboot and Star Trek 2, but nothing new was reported on either films.

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtleswas last reported to be fast-tracked with Art Marcum and Matt Holloway (Iron Man) penning the script (here), and will be produced through Michael Bay’s Platinum Dunes. No director is attached just yet. Zoolander 2will see the return of Derek Zoolander (Ben Stiller) and Hansel (Owen Wilson), with Justin Theroux set to direct again. Nothing much is known about G.I. Joe 2, but Stephen Summers is reportedly set to direct again (here), with Rhett Reese and Paul Wernick (Zombieland) penning the script. It’s likely that Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Channing Tatum, and Marlon Wayans will be reprising their roles, but nothing is certain at this point.

Deadline Hollywood reports that Art Marcum and Matt Holloway (Iron Man) have signed a million dollar deal to write the planned reboot. With the success of Michael Bay’s Transformers films, Paramount is hoping this will be the next big thing. “The studio is looking at this as its next huge franchise, like Transformers,” according to a source.

The studio is wanting a draft complete by October, and wants the film set for release in 2012. Platinum Dunes has been confirmed to be producing the film, along with Scott Mednick, Galen Walker, and Marina Norman. Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles is one of the most popular kids shows of the 80′s, so it’s understandable why Paramount would want to fast-track the film. Unlike the most recent film, this reboot will be presented in live-action rather than CG animated. However, this film will use a mixture of live-action and CG for the faces of the turtles.

Platinum Dunes is known for recent horror remakes such as Friday The 13th and A Nightmare On Elm Street. The plan is to have Michael Bay, Brad Fuller, and Andrew Form to produce the film with Galen Walker and Scott Mednick. This makes Michael Bay in charge of two productions from Paramount, the first being Transformers 3. The producers are set to begin meeting with writers in the coming weeks.

The previous attempt to revive the franchise was with the animated TMNT, but failed to live up to the earlier films. There’s not much known about this reboot, but it will be a mixture of live-action and CGI for the faces of the turtles.

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles shares a comedic sensibility with the Nickelodeon DNA, with added layers of action and fantasy that have kept this property an evergreen favorite with multiple generations of audiences,” said Cyma Zarghami, president, Nickelodeon/MTVN Kids and Family Group. “We are extremely happy to have the opportunity to be able to focus on this property and creatively re-introduce it to a new generation of kids.”

Added Paramount president Adam Goodman: “Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles is a property that maintains a very passionate global fan base, is rich with opportunity for a tentpole movie, and is exactly the right property for us to work together with Nickelodeon.”

“Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles” have been around since the early 1980s in comic book form but did not catch popularity until the late eighties when a television show and several live action films came out based on the comic. Recently there was a 2007 CGI-animated film called “TMNT” that brought the Ninjitsu fighting reptiles back onto the big screen.

Season 7 of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles is almost here and you can purchase the fantastic DVD Tuesday May 12th which reunites the 4 most famous mutated turtles in history.

Don’t forget to view the fantastic widgets for those turtles in a half shell HERE.

Today, the Mirage Group who currently owns licensing on the franchise announced an upcoming live action feature film to commemorate the turtles 25th anniversary.  The film is currently slated for a 2011 release date, but no cast has been announced as of yet.

Interesting side note: for those in the New York area the original film will be screened at the Tribeca Film Festival and the iconic Empire State Building will be lit green for the occasion.

Source: Variety