Top Hat Sasquatch

SMC Casts the 2011 TMNT Live Action Movie

August 28th, 2009 by Tommy Day

I’m excited about the new Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles live action movie planned for 2011, and to pass the time until something that qualifies as news actually comes out, I figured I’d go ahead and make my own. So, here are my casting choices for the new movie.

I love the voices of the turtles in the first film, but what are the chances of Josh Pais or Corey Feldman making a comeback? I’d say slim to none, so here are some ideas.

Leonardo: Zachary Quinto
As Seen In: Heroes, Star Trek

Leonardo is the ultimate straight-man, and has always bored me to death, even though I always pick him in the TMNT video games. Zachary played Spock, so there is no doubt he could pull off the straight-laced leader type.

Raphael: Christian Bale
As Seen In: Newsies, Batman Begins, The Dark Knight, Terminator Salvation

I couldn’t resist casting Christian Bale as Raphael. His scruffy voice and hot temper would be perfect for He Who Is Cool But Rude. Imagine him angrily asking a foot soldier (in the Batman voice), “Where’s the Shredder?”

Donatello: Neil Patrick Harris
As Seen In: Doogie Howser M.D., Starship Troopers, Dr. Horrible’s Sing-Along Blog,

Neil Patrick Harris not only is typecast as the smart guy, but he’s done some voice work too. He’s played Peter Parker and the Flash, and I think he’d be perfect as the new Donatello.

Michelangelo: Jack Black
As Seen In: A Pitfall Commercial, Mars Attacks!, School of Rock, King Kong, Kung Fu Panda

Michelangelo as a surfer dude is a cliche that must come to an end with the new TMNT movie. I don’t mind him being the funny one, but no one today relates to the surfer dude accent like they did in the 80s. The solution? Cast someone like Jack Black.

April O’Neil: Zooey Deschanel
As Seen In: Elf, The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy, Surf’s Up, Tin Man

I hope they actually try to make April O’Neil more like her comic book counterpart, a smart, resourceful computer programmer. In the comics she was an assistant to Baxter Stockman until he went nuts, and then she opened her antique shop.

Splinter: Sonny Chiba
As Seen In: The Street Fighter, The Assassin, Kill Bill

I can’t really think of anyone else to voice Splinter that would be as awesome as Sonny Chiba, can you?

Casey Jones: Ryan Reynolds
As Seen In: Blade Trinity, X-Men Origins: Wolverine, Deadpool, Green Lantern

Ryan Reynolds definitely has the smarmyness that Casey Jones has, and he’s proved that he can hold his own against Wolverine, so I can see him with a golf bag full of hockey sticks. Its safe to say that his calendar is a little full, but this is me casting the movie, not a professional, so anything goes.

The Shredder: Ken Watanabe
As Seen In: Batman Begins, The Last Samurai, Inception

My wife thought of this when we were watching the Last Samurai the other day, and I would have married her again on the spot if I could have, because I think it’s the best choice ever. Ken can be very intimidating and intense, and he’s a little bulkier than the last dude who played Shredder, so he would be able to hold his own against the turtles in the new movie.

I really hope they make Shredder dangerous in the new film. His armor should look like something he brought over from Japan, and not like he stuck knives on some old football pads.

Baxter Stockman: Chiwetel Ejiofor
As Seen In: Amistad, Serenity, American Gangster, 2012

I was going to go with a more obvious choice like Samuel L. Jackson or Don Cheadle, but that wouldn’t be much fun, would it? Chiwetel has some acting chops, and he’s played a villain before, so why not give him a chance?

So there it is, for better or worse, my casting choices for the new TMNT movie. As far as a director, lets just say I’d be open to about anyone except Zack Snyder. I’m not a fan of his style or his movies, and I cringe when I hear people say he’s the only person that could make a good TMNT movie.

I wouldn’t mind seeing someone like Guillermo del Toro direct. He has a great imagination, and has a lot of experience with practical effects. I could see him taking on Dimension X, the Ultroms, and even Triceratrons.

Let the discussion begin, who would you want to play these characters?

Written by Tommy Day | Website | Twitter

Tommy is a freelance web designer/developer living in Indianapolis who enjoys blogging, playing video games, and writing about himself in the third person.