Paramount Pictures has released the first trailer for the brand-new iteration of “Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles.” Based on the Peter Laird and Kevin Eastman comics of the same name, the film, produced by Seth Rogan, has more of a comic-book illustrative animation style that is reminiscent of “Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse” and “Puss Boots: The Last Wish.”
While the previous takes on the title featured its titular heroes as already established NYC legend, this new film sees them as more of an origins story. Untrained and still curious, Leonardo (Brady Noon), Raphael (Nicolas Cantu), Michelangelo (Shamon Brown), and Donatello (Micah Abbey) looks much younger than their previous iterations. And the trailer hasn’t revealed the Shredder and the Foot Clan, yet. But there may be some signs of them consnidering how Bebop and Rocksteady are in the trailer. Also in the trailer is April O’Neil (Ayo Edebiri ). Additionally, the ninja turtles’ Master Splinter will be voiced by none other than Jackie Chan. Which other friends and foes will they encounter is still unclear. But Paramount did reveal a slew of character titles last weekend.
The other voice talents include Rogen as Bebop, John Cena as Rocksteady, Hannibal Buress as Genghis Frog, Rose Byrne as Leatherhead, Ice Cube as Superfly, Natasia Demetriou as Wingnut, Giancarlo Esposito as Baxter Stockman, Post Malone as Ray Fillet, Paul Rudd as Mondo Gecko and Maya Rudolph as Cynthia Utrom.
As for the trailer, we see Leo, Raph, Donnie, and Mikey act like typical teenagers, recording their lives above the surface on their phones. Some slice watermelons and they want to challenge themselves and prove they’ve got the skill. To which, they ask Mikey to hold a watermelon with his face on it, above his head while Ralph throws some ninja stars. Of course, things seem to go well, but not before the star’s momentum goes through the melon and bounces off an apartment wall and falls onto traffic. And Raph basically shrugs it off and says “nothing we can do about it.” Kids will be kids after all.
Other notable moments include Bebop and Rocksteady bobbing their heads to the beat of A Tribe Called Quest’s “Can I Kick It,” a couple of teens calling the turtles little Shreks, and Raph stumbling and loosing his sai and it ricocheting off a few surrounding items before landing into Donnie’s leg.
Directed by Jeff Rowe and co-directed by Kyler Spears, the “Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles” is produced by Rogen, Evan Goldberg, James Weaver. It is slated to hit theaters on August 4, 2023.
Here’s the official plot synopsis for “Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles:”
After years of being sheltered from the human world, the Turtle brothers set out to win the hearts of New Yorkers and be accepted as normal teenagers through heroic acts. Their new friend April O’Neil helps them take on a mysterious crime syndicate, but they soon get in over their heads when an army of mutants is unleashed upon them.
