A lot of us expected Casey Jones to play a part in last summer’s hit TEENAGE MUTANT NINJA TURTLES reboot, and maybe his presence would’ve boosted the lukewarm fanboy reaction to that live-action/CGI hybrid. Platinum Dunes and new director David Green are looking to make up for that this time around, and tested a bunch of actors to play everyone’s favorite hockey-loving companion to the Turtles, settling on ARROW’s Stephen Amell.
Amell has been playing Oliver Queen on TV for almost three years now, and is undoubtedly a big part of why that series has had the success it’s had (aside from, you know, the property itself). Apparently, his chemistry with Megan Fox (returning as April O’Neill) was what clinched him the role, so expect the sparks to fly between their characters in this go-around. They’re already filming this thing, so Amell is probably already suiting up for the gig as we speak.
Like many of you, I grew up as a fan of Elias Koteas take on the role in the first and third live-action movies, before the actor became a chameleon-like character actor in stuff ranging from THE THIN RED LINE and ZODIAC to A VERY HAROLD AND KUMAR 3D CHRISTMAS. Amell has a decidedly different appeal and physique, but he’s already got preexisting fanboy awareness and a way with a one-liner that should work well for the character.
It has yet to be seen whether this sequel will have the character and humor many were missing from the last one, but adding a Casey Jones that people already like is a good step in that direction. Now, let’s see if they can make the Turtles look a little less off-putting and weird this time around…
TEENAGE MUTANT NINJA TURTLES 2: THE SECRET OF THE REVIVED FRANCHISE will kick shell in June 2016.
