Nickelodeon has debuted the first trailer for Rise of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, the upcoming 2D-animated reboot of the beloved franchise.
As you might expect, the fast-paced footage serves as a reintroduction to crime-fighting brothers Raphael, Donatello, Leonardo and Michelangelo, who in the new series not only look different, but have different roles and personalities. The trailer also showcases their ally April O’Neil, who for the first time is depicted as an African-American girl, and let’s us hear John Cena as new villain Baron Draxum.
Rise of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles reimagines Raphael as a snapping turtle, wielding twin tonfas; Leonardo as a red-eared slider, using an ōdachi sword; Donatello as a soft-shell turtle, with a tech-bo staff; and Michelangelo as a box turtle, brandishing a kusari-fundo. Raphael, as the oldest and biggest brother, is the leader full of enthusiasm and bravado; Leonardo, the self-professed coolest brother possesses irreverent charm; Donatello is a mechanical/tech genius; and Michelangelo, the youngest brother, is a skateboarder and artist.
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The reboot also bestows the Ninja Turtles with magical powers that they will use to defend New York, and the mystical city that lies beneath.
Premiering later this year on Nickelodeon, the 26-episode first season of Rise of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles stars Omar Miller as Raphael, Ben Schwartz as Leonardo, Josh Brener as Donatello, Brandon Mychal Smith as Michelangelo, Kat Graham as April O’Neil, Eric Bauza as Master Splinter, and John Cena as Baron Draxum.
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