Ice Cube on TMNT: “Franchise can live on another 30 years after this”
The cast and crew of Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem talk to RadioTimes.com about the new adaptation, the bright future of animation and working with Jackie Chan.
These interviews took place prior to the 2023 SAG-AFTRA strike.
Seth Rogen has been obsessed with Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles ever since the first movie hit the big screen in 1990, and so the comedian was shocked when he and producing partner Evan Goldberg were approached for a new animated feature film.
The duo were chosen because of how they've previously captured the teenage experience with movies such as Superbad, and after signing on they enlisted Jeff Rowe (The Mitchells vs The Machines) to direct – with a vision to make this adaptation as fresh and exciting as possible.
One of the ways they did this was by leaning into the teenage aspect: this marks the first time actual teenagers have been cast to portray Leonardo, Michelangelo et al.
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"We wanted to approach it from a place of emotion and story," explains Rowe during an exclusive interview with RadioTimes.com. "I had to wear two hats as I am a huge Ninja Turtles fan and I want to make the film that other Ninja Turtle fans and I want to see.
“But I also want someone who has never heard of the Ninja Turtles to be able to walk into it and enjoy it and love these characters.”
The TMNT franchise has been incredibly successful ever since the Ninja Turtles burst onto our screens in the late '80s, but what makes them so popular and timeless? For actor and rapper Ice Cube – who voices villain Superfly in the new film – the answer is simple.
“The ingredients for this franchise are magnetising," he says. "You’ve got teenagers, they’re mutants, they know ninja and they’re turtles - everybody loves turtles - they live in the sewer and they eat pizza… How can you miss with that combination?”
Ice Cube has clear memories of the Ninja Turtles in the '90s as his kids used to be obsessed with the cartoon when they were younger.
"I’ve stepped on so many Raphael and Donatello action figures," he adds. "They’ve had the pyjamas, they’ve had the bedspreads, the lunchboxes - so they’ve been a part of my life for a long time.”
The iconic rapper describes his character as the “King of New York” but says that deep down he's a “sensitive guy”.
"He just wants to be liked," he explains. "People run from him because he’s a big ugly fly and he's a mutant. He just wants people to like him but when they don’t there’s hell to pay! There’s a problem in the city when they don’t like Superfly.”
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The movie boasts an incredible cast with Ice Cube joined by Rogen, John Cena, Paul Rudd, Post Malone, Ayo Edebiri, Rose Byrne and many more.
And being part of such an esteemed ensemble is understandably described as “nuts!” by Nicolas Cantu, who voices Leonardo.
"Being a part of a movie this big, with a cast so cool - it’s crazy," he says. "It’s been great being able to meet all these super talented people and they each bring their own thing to the movie and it’s great to see.”
Also part of the cast is legendary actor Jackie Chan, who plays Master Splinter. This casting came as a big surprise to the boys playing the Ninja Turtles, with Brady Noon actually asking Jeff Rowe if he was joking or not.
Ice Cube was just as impressed with Chan, saying that he delivers an "Oscar-winning performance" as Splinter. And while the rapper didn’t encounter the Hong Kong legend during filming, he hopes the pair will meet at the premiere so they get a chance to show how much they respect each other.
Animation is enjoying a new golden age with the box office success of Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse exemplifying the power and potential of the medium.
"We are now in a post Spider-Verse world," says Rowe. "The 30 years of CG/3D animation prior to that was always all about chasing photorealism and these realistic textures and seeing pores on a character’s face.
“Spider-Verse kicked the door open and said, ‘You don’t have to do that! You can make a critically beloved and successful film that looks very different.' It felt like going backward to make a film the way they used to be made.”
He adds: “I hope this is just the beginning of a renaissance and we will see hundreds of more insane styles in the next decade.”
Following the stellar early reviews and eye-watering A-List cast, obvious questions will arise around whether a sequel is on the cards.
"It’s so fun being with these characters that people are definitely going to want to spend more time with them," says Rowe.
And Ice Cube adds: "The franchise can live on another 30 years after a movie like this!”
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem is in cinemas from 31st July. Check out more of our Film coverage or visit our TV Guide and Streaming Guide to find out what's on tonight.
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