Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles is the greatest cartoon in the history of television.  Its combination of silly humor rooted in sincere Japanese tradition laid the foundation for a generation of adults who seek a similar experience in life.  They call us Millennials.  We like things OUR way; we like transparency; we're nostalgic for the 90's.

That is why it has mystified me that the franchise has chosen Michael Bay as its champion, a director whose name makes most millennials groan upon hearing it.  It is clear that the Hollywood mentality of teen-worship has blinded them from seeing that the teenagers who want to see TMNT are in their 30s now and we don't want some hyper-CG-borderline-racist/sexist realization of our childhood past time.

I am setting out to make a Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles film for the millennial generation who grew up watching the show.  Did you know that the original Kevin Eastman/Peter Laird comic that inspired the cartoon and subsequent movies was actually completely black-and-white and gratuitously violent?  The turtles were identified by their weapons alone.  This is my vision.

I have developed a screenplay which reintroduces viewers into the franchise with maturity.  Oroku Saki AKA "The Shredder" is leading the infamous Japanese Yakuza gang, spreading a powerful new drug manufactured by KRANG Industries into New York City.  Hamato Yoshi AKA "Splinter" and the four bodacious turtles must hone their Ninjutsu skills to bring the crime ring down.

April O'Neill is of course a critical part of the story as an investigative journalist trying to crack down on crime and Casey Jones, the ski-mask-wearing-hockey stick-wielding vigilante, is actually a homeless man who suffers from schizophrenia, but wants to do good.  This is a film about awesome action and nostalgia, but also remains socially conscious, showing a more realistic depiction of mental illness.

This will be more than a piece of film, but a piece of history that we can all share together.

The $20 Million

The $20 million, though not entirely arbitrary, is really a statement.  Could this film be produced for $20 million? If major players participated for a percentage of profits instead of actual salaries, yes.  But, if 200,000 people are willing to shell out $100 for a ticket to see this movie, I think it proves there is a real demand for it and will lead to any necessary additional funding.

Risks and challenges

1. Nickelodeon owns Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles at the moment. To make the film, they would have to approve of this vision. Traditionally, their market is much younger, but I feel that the more than 80 million millennials out there would be compelling to them.

It is not my desire to alienate today's teenagers by making this film, but to introduce them to the turtles in a sophisticated manner. Though it will be violent and there may be some brief nudity, it will not step over the bounds of good taste and risk traumatizing youth. Rather, it should provide lessons about the challenge of becoming an adult which is a theme in my vision.

So, in the end, I hope to have the teenagers of 90s and today in theaters eating it up together.