Teenage Mutant Ninja Aliens? Michael Bay Says The New Turtles Will Be From An "Alien Race"

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by Gabe Toro
March 19, 2012 10:44 AM
29 Comments

The origins of the "Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles" have never been terribly complex. Tiny reptiles splashed with a mutagenic ooze, living in the sewers, learning karate, eating pizza. Makes sense, right? Okay, it doesn't, but whatever -- fans have been going with it since the characters' first appearance twenty eight years ago. Now that Michael Bay's Platinum Dunes are producing a new live-action movie adaptation, they've decided that origin wasn't working for them, so they're taken a page from the "Highlander II" playbook: the Ninja Turtles will now be aliens.

Bay was at the Nickelodeon Upfront in New York recently, and he was predictably asked about the new 'Turtles' movie, to be directed by "Battle: Los Angeles" helmer Jonathan Liebesman. Describing the characters, Bay says, “These turtles are from an alien race, and they’re going to be tough, edgy, funny, and completely lovable.” Lovable, alright. Funny, sounds good. Edgy, well, okay, it's worth a shot, they were supposed to be edgy in the beginning. Oh, and tough, that's a good on- wait, ALIENS? Every single TMNT fan just shat their Donatello briefs.

"Kids will believe one day that these turtles do exist when we’re done with this movie,” Bay promises, a nonsensical way of grounding his comments about aliens, making the underground-dwelling heroes even more unrelatable. It makes sense given that certain 'Turtles' storylines feature intergalactic threats from other dimensions, but the appeal in those matchups were these galactic beings facing off against decidedly earthbound reptilian creatures who could walk on their hind feet. Making them aliens to introduce the likes of fan-favorite Krang (50/50 that this alien announcement means we're getting Krang) just sounds more like a lazy writer's crutch, an excuse to do something that has as little to do with the 'Ninja Turtles' as vegetables do to Cookie Monster. "Outer Space Mutant Ninja Space Lizards" opens on Christmas Day 2013. [ScreenRant]

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More: Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, Michael Bay, Jonathan Liebesman

29 Comments

| Reply
FRANK MORALES | May 11, 2012 11:18 PMReply

WTF!!!!! i grew up wearing turtle slippers head bans, shirts because the idea of turtles doing kung fu was the shit......now Bay is taking out the turtle and adding Predator? why change the original movie? maybe he"ll remake Robocop and insted of a robot, he"ll add a PEPSI MAachine!! the power rangers will be te spice girls, lol, Wat about Shredder?? will he be an alien as well?? Kowabunga!!!!!
jerrod | March 19, 2012 9:16 PMReply

phone: 310-859-4000 call this number to dispute his direction
ibra | March 19, 2012 9:11 PMReply

This is epicness cant wait
http://www.weird-strange-facts.com
Dan | March 19, 2012 8:51 PMReply

It seems there have been a whole bunch of petitions created to stop this.
[url]http://www.change.org/petitions/michael-bay-jonathan-liebesman-platinum-dunes-keep-the-teenage-mutant-ninja-turtles-terrestrial[/url]
[url]http://www.change.org/petitions/michael-bay-keep-the-teenage-mutant-ninja-turtles-as-mutants-not-aliens[/url]
[url]http://www.change.org/petitions/producer-stop-trying-to-change-the-origins-of-the-teenage-mutant-ninja-turtles[/url]
[url]http://www.change.org/petitions/sign-to-save-the-teenage-mutant-ninja-turtles[/url]
[url]http://www.change.org/petitions/michael-bay-to-not-make-teenage-alien-ninja-turtles[/url]
Jesus | March 19, 2012 3:25 PMReply

Next he'll make a reboot of My Life as a transforming god-like-human being with explosions and shit. FUCK YOU BAY>
Huffy | March 19, 2012 1:58 PMReply

Hell hath no fury like a fanboy who's nostalgia is scorned. I mean is an aliens back story really anymore silly than mutated turtles? And before you flip out I grew up on TMNT too, but I think people are letting the fact that Bay said them cloud their judgement. Now to be fair I can understand having apprehensions about his awful production company and that hack director handling this but the actual back story should be the least of people's worries. If they can manage to emulate the tone of the series/movies (or better yet, try to go for the original comic) mechanics of the plot shouldn't be a huge deal.
Bogart | March 19, 2012 4:26 PM

Really? Then why make a film/ franchise based on this existing Intellectual Property if you're going to alter it - & in such a fundamental way? To me, one of the core aspects of the comics/ cartoon/ previous films was that they were just like normal American teenagers, but forced to live in secrecy. By making them Aliens, it will presumably change the tone to be more of a "fish out of water" tale as they come to grips with our society... I can just see them writing the scene where they first discover pizza... I just don't understand why you'd bother raping such an established brand...
Turtle Power | March 19, 2012 1:49 PMReply

This is retarded. Next thing you know Splinter's a panda, Shredder's Russian, Casey's a male cheerleader, April's a stripper, and Krang's a testicle.

Stupidest idea I ever heard.
Square of Death | March 21, 2012 12:55 PM

They should totally produce that. Why aren't you directing this movie?
Chris | March 19, 2012 1:25 PMReply

Stop destroying my fucking childhood you absolute ballbag
mpbstereo | March 19, 2012 1:08 PMReply

Aliens? Really? What is so damn hard about getting a writer or producer that likes/understands the source material?

If we're presented a world where 4 turtles and a rat are mutated into human like beings, I'm SURE presenting Krang as an alien isn't too far of a stretch.

/facepalm
Foo | March 19, 2012 1:08 PMReply

"Outer Space Mutant Ninja Space REPTILES."

Some scientific rigour, please!
DD | March 19, 2012 12:25 PMReply

and so is Liebesman
DD | March 19, 2012 12:24 PMReply

Michael Bay's a dick
Mouchette | March 19, 2012 12:17 PMReply

Bay is not directing-he is producing. Still, this is an atrocity; he should stick with the former ruined television show from my youth. The turtles are different and they epitomized what it meant to be a kid in the 90's.
fenrir8509 | March 19, 2012 12:16 PMReply

Michael Bay, destroying childhoods since 2007, epic-tv-show genocide, please stop urinating on my memories
Matt | March 19, 2012 12:06 PMReply

What the fuck is he doing
SignOfZodiac | March 19, 2012 12:05 PMReply

"Why is it that people that are born before '1975' insist on messing up things that wasn't broken to please people born after '1999' that don't understand nor care because they don't have nor know about Saturday morning cartoons or after school from 2:45p to 5:30p. Why!?! Fuck up my 'Turtle Power!'
Logan | March 19, 2012 11:59 AMReply

FUUUUUUUU- !! God Damnit why the hell did they have to choose Michael Bay, a.k.a the worst f--king director in hollywood, to direct, correction - RUIN - one of my best childhood memories????!!!?!?! ARRGGHHH!! This is the worst idea EVER!
Charlene | March 19, 2012 11:55 AMReply

This is BS he is going to destroy a fantastic story WTF!!
Emi | March 19, 2012 11:54 AMReply

I wonder why Hollywood constantly insists on destroying my childhood. My mutant turtles are now aliens. Is nothing sacred?
Jay | March 19, 2012 11:53 AMReply

That sucks.
DannyBoy | March 19, 2012 11:50 AMReply

So what he's saying is they're not Teenage MUTANT Ninja Turtles any more they are Teenage ALIEN Ninja Turtles.

The point is kind of in the name.
Archibald | March 19, 2012 12:10 PM

Thank you.
Dean | March 19, 2012 11:48 AMReply

You've got to be kidding me. The NYC sewers is where it's at.
LEAVE MY TURTLES ALONE!!!
Jeffery | March 19, 2012 11:48 AMReply

Worst. Idea. Ever. F--- you Bay!
eric | March 19, 2012 11:32 AMReply

this shit does not work for me ive been a die hard turtle fan since the day i was born and now im 24 your gonna change the beginning of the only heros that i liked fuck off i wont be apart of it
Ricardo | March 19, 2012 11:17 AMReply

NNNNNOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO
tricia | March 19, 2012 10:56 PM

I have watched the TMNT since they came out! This is absolutely ridiculous! I am 29 years old and ALL the cartoons I grew up with are turning into movies with blood, guts, aliens, and all kinds of other crazy stuff! The Turtles becoming the aliens of the future? Come on now! WE ARE OUR FUTURE and without becoming ONE NATION UNDER GOD, this will come to the end when Our Father in Heaven decides it is time He returns!