Fusco Penning New Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles

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Fusco Penning New Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles

Source:Mirage Studios

July 20, 2009

TMNT Productions, in association with Mirage Studios, has signed veteran screenwriter John Fusco to create the script for the upcoming live-action Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles theatrical film targeted for release in 2011. Fusco joins the creative team with producers Scott Mednick (300, €œSuperman Returns€) and Galen Walker (TMNT€) to re-tell the origin story of the legendary foursome co-created by Kevin Eastman and Peter Laird.

Fusco brings a unique perspective to the classic property, with credits ranging from the original €œYoung Guns€ and its sequel, to Hidalgo and last year's The Forbidden Kingdom starring Jet Li and Jackie Chan. He also recently completed the script for a contemporary version of the classic Seven Samurai for The Weinstein Company.

In addition to his film industry credits, Fusco brings years of martial arts training and inspiration to the new screenplay. His interest in Korean martial arts began at age 12, and his passion continues today through ongoing study of Shaolin Kung Fu as well as the history and culture behind these ancient practices.

"It is always exciting when you can come aboard a project that bridges the worlds of what you do with what you love," said Fusco. "I have always been a fan of the Turtles and the world of martial arts is my lifelong passion. I look forward to this great opportunity."

"John brings to our team the perfect blend of talent, expertise and enthusiasm for the property and the genre," said Mednick. "We are committed to bringing to the screen a vital, vibrant and contemporary effort that is the next chapter in this venerable franchise."

"€œWorking with the original comics created by Peter Laird and Kevin Eastman will allow both the new and first generations of fans to experience the Turtles in a whole new light,"€ said Walker. "Tapping into the rich of history of these heroic and loved brethren should prove to be a phenomenal collaborative adventure for us all."

"€œFrom the first stages of planning this movie, we were committed to finding a group of the most passionate, creative and experienced individuals who appreciated the history and myth of the TMNT, to craft a new vision of the Turtles for Mirage to share with current fans and to captivate a whole new generation," said Gary Richardson CEO, Mirage Studios.

Announcement of Fusco'€™s role comes as the Turtles' 25th Anniversary "Shell-ebration" culminates its cross-country tour at San Diego Comic-Con where Fusco, Mednick and Walker will join Turtles co-creator Kevin Eastman and Steve Barron (director of the original 1990's film) and others on a panel to discuss the project and the history of the property on Friday, July 24.

Peter Laird, Gary Richardson, Frederick Fierst, Eric Crown and Napoleon Smith III will serve as executive producers of the film. The project is being funded through Lightbox Productions, LLC.

4Kids Entertainment, master licensing agency for the "Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles" property, will handle all licensing activity on "TMNT" movie-related merchandise.

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Posted by: iDocta on July 21, 2009 at 01:38:06

uhmm.. Good, I guess this is good? wait I didn't like Forbidden Kingdom.. but I liked the first Ninja Turtles.. Hope its on the same Gritty track as that one was

Posted by: Andrew on July 21, 2009 at 01:38:10

Hope Corey Feldman is in this.

Posted by: Bullet4PrettyBoy on July 21, 2009 at 01:42:55

Dude! First! Cowabunga! 2011 is way too long to wait for this one. I want to see a reboot so bad cuz this time it will be like Where the Wild Things Are so they would be life-like and with no green rubber suits with the mouths flapping...

Posted by: Fanboiii on July 21, 2009 at 01:43:59

What does being a martial artist have to with Writing? Doesn't seem good given his record.

Posted by: Juha on July 21, 2009 at 01:49:18

God I hope TMNT goes on forever. I've been a fan for over 20 years and it's nice to see that the franchise is still live and kickin'

Posted by: kabukiman1984 on July 21, 2009 at 02:32:28

I went to the audition for the foot soldier and it was really unorganized and planned really poorly. It stated that it started at 10AM but when I got there at a little after 9:30 my number was already in the 800's. It was held on the sidewalk of Hollywood Blvd. and it was about 97 degrees + humidity. I saw about2 people almost pass out. It was a great idea having open auditions but im just saying that I would like for there to be another one somewhere indoors, and not just see a couple hundred martial artists in a row right after another, cuz it all just looks the same after a while.

Posted by: Luke Keith on July 21, 2009 at 03:07:19

I have to agree... studying kung fu does NOT by default make you a good writer OR the man for a job like Ninja Turtles... especially coming from the writer of Forbidden Kingdom. I'm not bitter, but my team and I spent 3 years developing a story for a live action Ninja Turtles reboot after seeing Batman Begins. We were able to send it to a guy at Warner Brothers thanks to some friends of mine, but haven't heard anything back. To hear news like this just breaks my heart. You can find us by googling "turtles the movie" if you are interested. I've been a fan of Ninja Turtles for 23 years and I think we (the fans) deserve to have a Turtles movie that is done properly.

Posted by: DanDaManZ06 on July 21, 2009 at 03:54:20

great i loved Forbidden kingdom... this news has my hopes going

Posted by: JB3000 on July 21, 2009 at 04:02:57

ha, that google link narrows it down Luke Keith!lol

Posted by: Mr.Reese on July 21, 2009 at 04:31:45

I hope they use the tech that ILM used to create Davey Jones for the new Turtles look :)

Posted by: metal mark on July 21, 2009 at 07:30:10

i just want bebop and rocksteady and shredder of course.

Posted by: clu on July 21, 2009 at 09:46:20

its casey jones mr. reese. you are awarded no points and may Krang have mercy on your soul!
-C

Posted by: batboy999 on July 21, 2009 at 09:47:47

The highlight of the tryouts was the museum bus. I was almost in tears looking around in there. I can't wait for another movie. I don't even care who writes it. some pre-schooler with pants full of pooh can write it in crayon and not even get the turtles' names right and I'll still watch it. I could go without bebop and rocksteady, though. I want this to be about the comics. utroms, old school ninja battles, foot clan, street gangs, pure 80s comic book grit, you know what I'm sayin'? everything was better back then. I want the shredder out for revenge for his dead brother. all that stuff. this is going to be good, just you wait and see.

Posted by: DroTheNerd on July 21, 2009 at 09:55:16

I've been a turtles fan since I was old enough to talk. With that being said I absolutely LOVE the first movie. But it seems after the orig**** things just went down hll. Secret of the ooze was ok n part 3 was just god awful. The cgi wasn't that bad as everyone says it is. I'm just glad that the doing a reboot I think it's a good thing that he wantd to take TMNT ba k go it's comic roots. There is such a rich tapestry of things to do from there. Glad they are also doing away with the rubber suits the cgi will hopefully be amazing. I'm hoping it'll be lke the hulk from the new one not the ang lee one. Just hope the script cmes out good and that they make a movie that'll be loyal to both the comcs and long time fans.

Posted by: NeoSamurai on July 21, 2009 at 09:55:26

"He also wrote a redo of The Seven Samurai for the Weinstein Co."

MY GAWD. The horror... The horror... The horror...

Say it ain't so.

Posted by: Evermore on July 21, 2009 at 10:11:07

Freakin' Turtle Power!

Posted by: mmajosh on July 21, 2009 at 10:36:34

I hope that they do the shredder storyline but also throw in a secondary villian. Also, the comics made it a little bit darker and i hope that route is taken. Put in the rat king, or baxter stockman or somebody. Cowabunga dude!!!

Posted by: tmntfan on July 21, 2009 at 10:42:14

I'm just pumped to hear that the process has begun on the movie

Posted by: Lars on July 21, 2009 at 11:14:50

I'm not sure what his love of martial arts has to do with his writing abilities...but okay. His resume is...fair, but hardly striking. I REALLY hope they stick to the basic story of the Mirage comics and pull off a respectable PG-13 action film. I'd hate to see another goofy interpretation of the TMNT brand. The original comics are really so good, and they deserve to see the light of day on the big screen. I'm very cautiously optimistic about this one.

Posted by: GoodGod on July 21, 2009 at 11:31:56

Hey Clu...how about getting a clue?

He meant that he hopes that the same ILm technology that was used to create Davy Jones from the Pirates of the Caribbean movies is used for the Turtles.

Ya idiot.

Posted by: Josh on July 21, 2009 at 11:32:20

The Forbidden Kingdom was ****, thanks for having a stupid annoying white kid as a protagonist in one of the only Jet Li and Jackie Chan movies ever. Talk about bad news, TMNT doesn't belong in live action especially if it wants to focus on the gritty realistic comics by Eastman and Laird. It needs to follow the style and tone as a digital cartoon.

Posted by: KoJack on July 21, 2009 at 11:38:35

I dont like them retelling the story from the beginning. They should start where 2 or the badly created 3 left off at.

Posted by: Will on July 21, 2009 at 11:42:20

Sweet, I just hope they still use suits for the characters, Computer Generated characters doing fight scenes in a live action movie never looks right (See Matrix 2&3, CG fight scenes, and I doubt TMNTs budget is any where in that ball park anyway). Just use CG for lips syncing and special effects, not the entire character.

Posted by: Lars on July 21, 2009 at 11:51:02

Will,
They have confirmed that there will be "men in suits" and the faces will be CGI replaced like in POTC and Where the Wild Things Are.

KoJack,
It's definitely time for a TMNT version of a Batman Begins style reboot. The franchise has been too mangled on the big screen (after the first movie) and there's a whole generation of people who don't know the origin story.

Posted by: cdowg187 on July 21, 2009 at 12:46:47

Okay.

I want the technodrome.
I want Krang.
I want the Rat King.
I want Baxter Stockman.
I want the feel of the Eastman-Laird material. But combine that with the 1987 series. And I want it PG13. Plus they should show more Oroku Saki.

But I do not want Corey Feldman at all. Donatello is the brains of the group, not the other Michaelangelo.

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