Summary
- Tales of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles is a great follow-up to Mutant Mayhem, bridging the gap to the upcoming sequel.
- Jackie Chan’s absence as Splinter is noticeable, impacting the series despite clever attempts to work around it.
- While some cast members return, financial considerations likely led to Chan not reprising his role in the show.
As a longtime fan of Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles and Jackie Chan, I must say that the absence of Jackie Chan’s voice work as Splinter in the new series, Tales of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, is truly felt. His portrayal of the character in Mutant Mayhem was nothing short of brilliant – a unique blend of warmth, humor, and martial arts mastery that brought a fresh perspective to the iconic character.
As a die-hard fan of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, I was thrilled when the new series, “Tales of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles,” dropped on Paramount+ on August 12, 2024. This animated series is an exciting extension of the movie “Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem” that graced our screens in 2023. However, there’s one key difference – this time, it’s hand-drawn!
Several cast members from the movie come back to play their characters once more: Nicolas Cantu portrays Leonardo, Brady Noon takes on Raphael, Micah Abbey embodies Donatello, Shamon Brown Jr. is Michaelangelo, and Ayo Edebiri assumes the role of April O’Neal.
Yet, one person who notably does not return is Jackie Chan, who is the voice of Splinter, the Turtle’s father, who happens to be a giant rat. Splinter still appears in Tales of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, but Chan does not voice the character. Instead, Splinter speaks “vermin,” a gibberish language that the character Scumbug also speaks. Later in the series, Splinter’s vermin dialogue is dubbed over by Ralphael, which ends up being the series’ biggest issue.
As a cinephile, I’d like to share some insights about Jackie Chan’s absence from voicing Splinter in “Tales of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles” and how it influenced the series.
Splinter’s Role in Tales of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles
The animated series titled “Tales of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles” is divided into two separate storylines. In the initial six episodes, the turtles confront the danger posed by Bishop and her robot army, who aim to eradicate all mutants. Subsequently, they encounter a group of water-dwelling mutants, “The East River Three,” who were born when Superfly’s mutant goo cannon fell into the river during the chaos of “Mutant Mayhem“.
For the story’s first half, Splinter only appears in the first episode. The character is speaking vermin, explained away by him trying to become closer to Scumbug following the events of Mutant Mayhem.
Splinter Takes an Active Role in the Second Half of the Season
In the latter part of the series, Splinter becomes more involved, recounting the incidents to April and the Turtles to help her compile a news report. As they review the recordings, Ralph chooses to provide a narrative on behalf of Splinter.
Starting from now, all of Splinter’s rodent conversations are voiced by Ralph, a technique referred to as a filter in the series, much like how Luis narrates stories in the Ant-Man films and Michael Pena voices every character. Initially, this approach seems creative, but it doesn’t take long before the humor becomes repetitive, leaving viewers yearning for Jackie Chan’s return to rekindle Splinter’s charming rapport with the cast.
Why Is Jackie Chan Not in Tales of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles?
The animated series Tales of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles features a number of familiar faces from Mutant Mayhem, including the main cast members of the turtles and April O’Neal, as well as Rose Byrne reprising her role as Leatherhead, Natasia Demetriou voicing Wingnut, and Post Malone returning as Ray Filet.
As a movie enthusiast, I can’t help but be thrilled by the stellar cast joining this production. Alanna Ubach steps into the role of Bishop, Timothy Olyphant becomes Goldfin, Gillian Bell brings Lee the Eel to life, Danny Trejo takes on Mustang Sally, and Pete Davidson assumes the character of Ron Underwood Jr. Each of these talented actors adds a unique flavor to the story, making it even more enticing for me as a cinephile.
Genghis Frog makes an appearance, but Hannibal Buress is missing from ‘Mutant Mayhem.’ Instead, Amad Jackson takes his place. This leaves a gap, along with Chan and other ‘Mutant Mayhem’ cast members, that prompts curiosity as to why some characters reappear while others do not.
Jackie Chan Was Probably Too Expensive for the Series
A plausible reason Jackie Chan might not reprise his role as Splinter in “Tales of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles” is probably due to financial reasons. Given Jackie Chan’s worldwide fame, it seems he only agreed to voice Splinter for the initial film and possibly the sequel, but may not have initially committed to the television series.
It’s possible that the event could have occurred at a later time, which would have necessitated renegotiating a fresh contract, possibly involving additional costs. Given this financial implication, it seems the creators opted to come up with an in-story explanation for Chan not reprising his role as Splinter.
Actors like Seth Rogen (Beboop), John Cena (Rocksteady), and Paul Rudd (Mondo Gecko) from Tales of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles did not come back for another season. These actors are primarily known for their work in films, which may have required fresh contract discussions that the series might not have been able to accommodate financially.
Actors such as Edebiri and Demetriou are primarily recognized for their roles in popular TV shows like “The Bear” and “What We Do in the Shadows”, respectively, which might make them more affordable options for voice acting roles. On the other hand, Rogen is a significant contributor to the new Ninja Turtles adaptation, serving as both producer for this season and the upcoming second season.
Other Voice Actors Are Also Absent
The series often bypasses or neglects to explain the absence of characters like Beboop, Rocksteady, and Mondo Gecko, instead choosing to focus on the ongoing narrative without them, implying that their roles are not essential to the current tale.
Although Splinter is a central figure in the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles group, the series aims to expand upon his storyline from the initial movie. However, this presents a challenge as they had to find an alternative approach due to Chan’s absence in providing voice work for the character. Regrettably, the solution they found underscores the absence of Chan’s distinctive voice.
Jackie Chan’s Absence Is Felt
In the realm of Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem, I found Jackie Chan’s portrayal of Splinter to be a truly standout moment. Unlike any previous iterations, his voice work brought a unique flavor to the character, leaving an indelible mark on my cinematic experience.
Unlike the stern, martial arts masters often portrayed, Chan introduced an endearing warmth and humor to his character, resembling a slightly out-of-touch yet loving parent eager to bond with their children. This unique performance significantly contributed to the emotional development of that film, which seems to be lacking in Tales of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles.
Initially, the first part of the show allows Splinter to step back from the action, leaving the four Turtles to navigate New York City on their own. However, the latter half of the series seems overloaded with Splinter’s presence, which is noticeable given Chan’s absence. This excess becomes rather distracting, especially in episode nine, “Splinter and April Battle a Goldfish,” where the story primarily revolves around Splinter.
Splinter’s Character Growth Would Have Hit Harder With Chan’s Performance
In the presentation, Splinter’s character development moments are intended to expand upon his narrative from “Mutant Mayhem“, but the inclusion of a filter on his voice significantly diminishes the impact of those scenes, leaving viewers yearning for the raw delivery by Chan that they could not experience.
In the latter part of Tales of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, Splinter is provided with numerous funny lines and emotional scenes. If Jackie Chan had been available for his role, these scenes could have been even more impactful. However, due to his absence, the creators had to come up with alternative solutions, which initially worked well but eventually became too repetitive, ultimately harming the series.
I can’t help but feel disappointed because the new “Tales of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles” isn’t featuring Jackie Chan, as it certainly seems like a fantastic continuation from “Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem”. It offers a captivating twist on traditional Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle lore that feels innovative and thrilling. Plus, it leaves fans eagerly anticipating the sequel, which is still two years away. If only Jackie Chan could have returned to make this series truly extraordinary!
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2024-08-21 23:32