Michael J. :: Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (1987-2001)

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Unproduced Hallmark TV Miniseries Leonardo Concept Drawing

Artist: Brendan McCarthy (All)

1 Comment - 735 Views - 0 Like

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Unproduced Hallmark TV Miniseries Leonardo Concept Drawing Comic Art

Additional Images:

1990 Movie Storyboard Artist Credits

Leonardo Maquette #1

Leonardo Maquette #2

Leonardo Maquette #3

The Hollywood Reporter

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Artwork Details

Title:	Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Unproduced Hallmark TV Miniseries Leonardo Concept Drawing
Artist:	Brendan McCarthy (All)
Media Type:	Marker
Art Type:	Illustration
For Sale Status:	NFS
Views:	735
Likes on CAF:	0 1
Comments:	1
Added to Site:	11/29/2023
Comic Art Archive:

Description

This original 8.25" by 11.5" Leonardo marker concept drawing by UK artist and writer Brendan McCarthy was made for the unproduced live-action Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Hallmark television miniseries from the early 2000s.

McCarthy, who had previously storyboarded the landmark 1990 comic book film and helped to design the Turtles with Jim Henson�s Creature Shop, reconvened with the same original creative team under the helm of director Steve Barron to once again conceptualize the look of the Half-Shell Heroes.

"The Ninja Turtles miniseries that Hallmark and I are developing will be a darker, more streetwise view of the characters," Barron told The Hollywood Reporter in 2001. "Taking its tone from the original comics, it will be an atmospheric and spectacular reinvention of the franchise using today's CGI technology to leap into the 21st century."

Maquettes of the Turtles were sculpted and painted to fine-tune their appearance.

"The two-night, four-hour program will blend CGI Turtles with live actors, replacing the prosthetics of past Turtles films and live-action TV series," The Hollywood Reporter article went on to say. "The yet-to-be-greenlighted mini may air on the Hallmark Channel between May 2003 and May 2004."

Ninja Turtles co-creator Peter Laird held meetings with Barron in Northampton, Massachusetts to discuss the project. A script was also shown to him. He would later approve the sculpts of the Turtles and publicly rave about a five-minute proof-of-concept test shoot that he saw of the Splinter costume in action.

"It was freakin' EERIE. Splinter (portrayed by a short actor within the rough suit) was shown gesturing, walking around, climbing ladders and stairs, and fighting... and it looked AMAZING. As much as I loved the work the Henson group did on Splinter in the first two TMNT movies, I think this one is going to blow that one away."

Ultimately, however, the miniseries never got off the ground. As McCarthy put it, "Anyway, that's showbiz."

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About the Owner

	Michael J.
Joined:	August 2015
Last Login:	September 2025
Country:	UNITED STATES
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Marcus Wai
Member Since 2005

Posted on 11/29/2023

McCarthy's design work design sure looks like the lean and mean versons baed ont he comic more than the cartoons. Imagine if it was made into a Holiday Special on Hallmark Channel today! A Ninja Christmas to Dismember! Naughty or Nice: stick my blade in you twice! The Most Leonardo Time of the Year!

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