Whether you loved or loathed the gang’s latest big-screen adventure, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles 2 has been given the go-ahead by Paramount with a June, 2016 release date in mind. It’s not an overly surprising move, really, considering that the live-action flick pulled in box office receipts to the tune of $477 million last year. And so, with production set to get underway, there have been murmurings regarding the sequel’s title, which is said to drop the numeral in favor of Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Half-Shell.
The speculative tidbit comes hand in hand with some casting news for the follow-up, with supermodel Alessandra Ambrosio (Gossip Girl and Entourage) joining the line-up as Will Arnett’s (who plays bumbling cameraman Vernon Fenwick) new-fangled love interest.
Leonardo, Raphael, Donatello and Michelangelo’s latest outing will once again be penned by writing duo Josh Appelbaum and André Nemec following their work on the original. Plus, from what we gather, Michael Bay is set to return as a producer.
What’s less clear, however, is which direction Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles 2 will steer the story. Early reports have suggested that fan favorite big bads Bebop and Rocksteady will have a significant part to play, though it’s still unclear whether the villainous pairing will filter into Paramount’s plans for the Heroes in a Half-Shell’s forthcoming adventure.
With Earth to Echo‘s David Green behind the lens, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles 2 will bring together Johnny Knoxville, Alan Ritchson, Jeremy Howard, Pete Ploszek, Megan Fox and William Schatner and Noel Fisher when it releases on June 3, 2016.
