Credit: 20th Century StudiosWe were fortunate enough to attend the TMNT panel at San Diego Comic-Con, where we were treated to a staggering 20 minutes of footage from the upcoming TMNT: Mutant Mayhem movie. Co-creator Kevin Eastman joined the panel on stage to talk about the upcoming animated film and drop the bombshell that the original turtles will return.
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TMNT is arguably one of the world’s most precious franchises, starting as an Eastman and Peter Laird comic book. Since its start, the turtles have appeared in animated cartoons, live-action films, comics, and multimedia. Seth Rogen is set to reboot the franchise in animated form, which has been gaining plenty of traction.
Based on the footage we saw, the newest film will focus on a more contemporary look at the turtles and will feature a cast comprising all teenagers—which is the first time this has happened. The original movies and shows all featured older voice actors or a darker tone, but the newest film will bring forth the more kid-friendly aspect of the turtles.
The footage was highly excitable, making us far more impatient to see this new TMNT adventure. However, that footage wasn’t the only huge surprise of the convention, as Eastmen revealed the original turtles are returning.
‘TMNT’ Series Is Returning
🐢 BIG NEWS 🐢 are you ready? #NickSDCC #SDCC pic.twitter.com/GIcX6rDPg7
— TMNT (@TMNT) July 25, 2023
While on stage, co-creator Kevin Eastman revealed that the original Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles series is returning. The original 1987 cartoon will arrive on Paramount+ as part of a deal between Nickelodeon and Paramount. Eastman stated that the original series would be available next year, though we are unsure about a timetable for when it will start streaming. This is huge news considering the series is arguably the best TMNT property ever created. Well, next to the original live-action movies.
The original series began in 1987 as a five-part mini-series before it made its full debut in 1988. The TMNT series ran until 1996, securing syndication through 10 seasons. It was the first appearance of the turtles, which launched a massively successful run of toys, video games, and more.
Though it was the first instance of the turtles appearing in something other than the Laird and Eastman comics, it deviated significantly from the origin of the comics. For example, Splinter started as a human in the series before being transformed into a rat by the ooze in the sewer.
Despite the original animated series deviating from the comics, it’s still an essential piece of history for TMNT, and it’s fantastic that Eastman is excited to bring the series to a brand-new audience.
From the footage shown at Comic-Con, there are instances where the new movie pays homage to its predecessors, so we imagine more franchise crossover cameos or hints will appear in the entire film. We will all discover those cameos when TMNT: Mutant Mayhem arrives in theaters on August 2.
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We imagine that Paramount and Nickelodeon will want to rush on bringing the original Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles series to Paramount+ to coincide with the movie. Still, it may take longer if they digitally remaster the 1980/90s series. Either way, be on the lookout for the original series to start streaming, presumably early next year.
Are you excited about the original TMNT series returning? Let Inside the Magic know in the comments down below!