Breakdown of the characters from new Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles movie

We’ve known for a while that yet another incarnation of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles is in development at Seth Rogan’s Point Grey Pictures along with Paramount Pictures and Nickelodeon and now we have a breakdown of the characters and it shows that, at least, the new take will stay true to the original characters.

So, there’s that.

The new CGI (we believe) movie will be directed by The Mitchells vs. the Machines’ Jeff Rowe and written by Neighbors’ Brendan O’Brien and it really seems that it will be focusing primarily on the ‘Teenage’ aspect of the characters rather than the Shredder and alien invader angles, which is a different take on the story.

Anyway, here’s the breakdown of each of the four main characters and who they are hoping to cast in the roles:

Leonardo (M), Age: 13-16, Any ethnicity, (V.O.) LEAD

The team leader. Leo is strictly business, all killer no filler – except when he’s boasting and describing himself with dumb phrases like “all killer no filler.” He cares about keeping the “team” on mission, and tells himself that his brothers would be lost without him. He’s not the strongest (Ralph) or the smartest (Donnie), or the funniest (Mikey), but he’s the hardest working turtle boy and he’s proud of it. His brothers can get annoyed by his do-gooder attitude and the lectures that come with it, even when they know he’s right. Leo’s biggest fears are his brothers realizing that he needs them more than they need him.

Raphael (M), Age: 13-16, Any ethnicity, (V.O.) LEAD

The hot head. Raph likes to break s**t. Whether it’s with his fists or someone else’s fists as he throws them through a glass window. Ralph tends to react emotionally when he’s overwhelmed, but he’s actually super self-aware and working on it. With his hands in his pockets, crossed arms, and sullen face, he can come across as a little brooding. But beneath his impenetrable exterior is a soft, sensitive turtle boy who’s just looking for someone to open up to. Ralph, who would hate ANY authority figure, resents Leo’s leadership and thinks he should be in charge. His secrete shame? He knows deep down he wouldn’t know how to lead the team if it ever came to it.

Michelangelo (M), Age: 13-16, Any ethnicity, (V.O.) LEAD

The goofball. With rare exception – takes nothing seriously. It could come across as aloofness or idiocy, but it actually comes from a place of wisdom and self-confidence. (knowing himself?) Mikey has his priorities in order, and at the top of the list is enjoying life and living in the present. He loves people and is endlessly curious, which leads to him having long conversations with complete strangers. He’s that friend you tell your entire life story within minutes of meeting. He might not be good at martial arts training, or waking up on time, or even hygiene, but he’s an endless well of positivity that his brothers often take for granted. Mikey gets teased the most by his brothers, and even though he always laughs it off. Deep down it gets to him.

Donatello (M), Age: 13-16, Any ethnicity (V.O.) LEAD

The intellectual. Feels like he’s Matt Damon in Goodwill Hunting. He is made fun of by his brothers for being academic. They acknowledge his smarts are useful but don’t appreciate it as much as he feels he deserves. His intelligence has its downsides though. Sometimes his intellectual self-assuredness can come across as arrogance, and his extreme pragmatism sometimes reads as coldness. It’s not that he doesn’t care, his brain is just thinking so many steps ahead about such complicated stuff that he often finds himself paralyzed with indecision. He can talk himself into something just as easily as he can talk himself out. Donnie knows he’s smart, but his secret fear he’d never admit out loud is that if he was ever around people at his level, he worries he wouldn’t be able to keep up. And if he’s not as smart as he thought… what is he?

I’m a big fan of the Turtles and have been ever since they arrived in the late 80s and will happily give a new take on the characters a chance. I mean, it can’t be any worse than that last animated series, right?

Source: The Illuminerdi