SNEAK PEEK
Warner Bros. Pictures will handle domestic distribution of the first all-CGI-animated film based on "Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles", with the Weinstein Company handling international.
Warners will release the movie March 30, 2007.
The Weinsteins and Warners jointly acquired worldwide distribution rights last fall from Imagi Services, which obtained the production/distribution rights from the Mirage Group, which in turns owns and manages the franchise.
Animation veteran Kevin Munroe is directing/writing the project, having developed the screenplay in consultation with "Turtles" co-creator Peter Laird.
"'Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles' represents a brand that is widely recognized all around the world, " said TWC co-chair Harvey Weinstein.
The studio and TWC said the new PG-rated film will be slightly grittier than the three live-action "Turtles" movies released by New Line more than a decade ago.
Combined, those three films grossed more than $256 million at the domestic box office.
Imagi USA president-CEO Thomas K. Gray, who produced two of the earlier "Turtles" films, and Galen Walker are producing.
Francis Kao, Laird, Gary Richardson and Frederick Fierst are executive producers.
CGI animation is being created in Imagi's facility in Hong Kong.
