'Ninja Turtles' Director Promises To Keep 'Essence Of Each Character'

It's been a hard week for Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles fans. First, we learned that the Turtles would have an "alien origin" from producer Michael Bay. Then the "Teenage Mutant" part got bashed with a pair of nunchucks.

With those gone, what else is there to take away from passionate fans? Is Michelangelo still going to be a party dude?

Jonathan Liebesman, the director of the upcoming reboot and the focus of a lot of fan wrath, is certainly aware of the fan reaction, and when we spoke with him while promoting his new film "Wrath of the Titans," he started off by expressing his gratitude for the passionate fans. "Firstly, as a filmmaker, it's awesome to have such an impassioned fan base that this is so important to, because that's your audience," he said.

Liebesman wants to assure you that the characters we know will remain. More specifically, he told us that with this new film, he wants to honor fans who have loved the franchise and to retain the creator's vision.

"What's important to me are the characters that Kevin Eastman and Peter Laird created. The essence of each character is preserved. We're true to that, and everything that's near and dear to fans will still be there," he said. "Every new thing that we think of is tied into the mythology. Again, I'm sitting in a room with Eastman, the guy who created this."

So despite the changes already made to the next "Turtles" movie, Liebesman insists that he's keeping the hardcore fans in mind. "We're not going to betray anything that has been there before," he said. "I'm a fan myself. It is important to us that the people paying to see the movie, who are the fans, are satisfied."

What do you think of the changes made to the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles? Let us know in the comments below and on Twitter!

'Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles' reboot gets new title: 'Just give them a chance' pleads Michael Bay

Image Credit: Everett Collection

Well, that settles that. Producer Michael Bay took to his blog again to address the fans who are criticizing his upcoming Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles reboot. Bay’s decision to alter the Turtles’ origin story had sparked a long string of remarks from fans, Bay and even series co-creator Peter Laird — in his most recent missive, under the headline “Ninja Turtles’ Title,” Bay wrote:

Paramount marketing changed the name. They made the title simple. The characters you all remember are exactly the same, and yes they still act like teenagers. Everything you remember, why you liked the characters, is in the movie. This script is being developed by two very smart writers, with one of the original creators of Ninja Turtles. They care VERY MUCH about making this film for the fans. Everyone on this team cares about the fans. Just give them a chance. Jonathan [Liebesman] the director, is a major fan of the whole franchise. HE’S NOT GOING TO LET YOU DOWN.
Michael

Although at first it might seem like eliminating half of the iconic title would just upset fans even more, let us not forget that the late ’90s saw a revised iteration of the franchise called Ninja Turtles: The Next Mutation, which still featured the same teenage mutants (and one abysmal addition) but without the headlining designation. There is precedence for abandoning the two words, and it certainly sounds like Bay is more concerned than ever with appeasing the fans. At this point, there’s not much more that Bay can say to prove that his goal is not destroying the smiles of thousands of children, as Turtle fanatics might think is the case, but rather, making a new, original Ninja Turtles movie that does right by the fans despite minor creative departures. Isn’t it about time we just let him try already?
I’m trying not to beat a dead turtle here, but PopWatchers, what’s your take on the latest development in Turtlegate? Will the backlash ever fade? Are you willing to put your doubts on hold and let Bay proceed, or is the road to pizza-loving turtle success still blocked by your objections?
Read more:
Michael Bay’s ‘Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles’ gets support from series co-creator
Michael Bay responds to fan outrage about ‘Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles’ alien debacle
Michael Bay says ‘Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles’ are aliens, reinvents origin story