The Mirage Group will develop a live-action film focusing on the origins of the iconic TEENAGE MUTANT NINJA TURTLES, targeted for release in 2011.
Announcement of the latest (fifth) big screen version of the crime-fighting "heroes in a half-shell" comes on the day the Turtles kick off their 25th anniversary national "Shell-ebration" in New York City with multiple events that include the honor of lighting the Empire State Building in 'turtle green' and a unique outdoor presentation of their beloved first TEENAGE MUTANT NINJA TURTLES film at the Tribeca Film Festival "Drive-In".
Mirage is partnering with producers Scott Mednick (300, SUPERMAN RETURNS, 10,000 BC, and the upcoming WHERE THE WILD THINGS ARE) and Galen Walker (who produced the most recent computer-animated TMNT theatrical release) to create this live action film.
Peter Laird, Gary Richardson, Frederick Fierst, Eric Crown and Napoleon Smith III will serve as exec producers of the film. Laird and Kevin Eastman created the characters. Mednick and Walker will serve as producers. The project is being funded through Lightbox Productions, LLC.
Mednick has begun reaching out to writers and directors and is already in discussion with several high-profile actors.
4Kids Entertainment, master licensing agency for the TEENAGE MUTANT NINJA TURTLES property, will be handling all the movie merchandise licensing.
The TEENAGE MUTANT NINJA TURTLES made their public premiere in May 1984 in a comic book published and distributed by Mirage Studios.
-- By News Editor Annemarie Moody
