Michael Bay‘s Platinum Dunes and Paramount relaunched the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles in 2014 with a new cast and an updated take on Kevin Eastman and Peter Laird’s classic characters. While the first movie was successful at the box office, the sequel, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Out of the Shadows, only managed to squeak by $80 million domestically when it was released in 2016. However, Bay and Paramount haven’t given up on TMNT, and they’re ready to try again.
Via Variety, Paramount has put a third Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles movie in development. And while Bay is still attached as an executive producer, the report describes the film as a “reboot” rather than a sequel to the two most recent movies. Screenwriter Andrew Dodge has been hired to tackle the new script; his credits include a draft of Space Jam 2 (which has yet to be made) and Bad Words. 
The big question facing Bay, Dodge, and the rest of their collaborators will have to answer is simple: why did audiences reject Out of the Shadows? While the film embraced many of the elements from the ’80s TMNT animated series, it didn’t appease fans who disliked the first reboot movie. There have been multiple TMNT cartoons since the first animated series, and the characters still have a passionate following. The Turtles’ guest appearance in Injustice 2 was another example of their enduring appeal.
What do you want to see in the next TMNT movie reboot? Let’s discuss in the comment section below!
Images: Paramount Pictures
