Director Jonathan Liebesman Responds to Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle Controversy
Posted 03.26.12 by Ryan
It's safe to say that Michael Bay is not well-liked by the community of Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle fans, if online petitions against the upcoming Ninja Turtle reboot (that Bay is producing) are any guide.
It all started with Bay's seemingly innocent comments earlier this month, when he revealed that the Turtles in the reboot would not be innocent pets who are transformed after being exposed to a green ooze but would be "from an alien race" instead. The response was swift — and negative — prompting Bay to issue the equally well-embraced advice that all Ninja Turtle fans should "take a breath and chill." Reboot director Jonathan Liebesman is unsurprisingly on Bay's side. While promoting Wrath of the Titans, which opens later this week, Liebesman told io9 that "fans are going to be very happy" with the reboot.
Kevin Eastman, one of the co-creators, and I have been stuck in a room for a few weeks with the writers. That's how we're doing it — with the co-creator. Anything is always going to tie back into the mythology. I think fans are going to be really excited when they see what's going on. Because a fan of TMNT, myself, I'm super excited about this stuff.
Liebesman's comments wisely avoided any "take a breath and chill" sentiment. However, when talking to Collider, the director was less forgiving of fans' feelings over the franchise, Peter Laird, also fired off his thoughts on the "alien" controversy, stating that "it might actually work," and that having a planet of turtles might be a "genius notion." What many might have missed was Laird's sarcasm, so he clarified his comments in a response to a comment on his blog entry (via Digital Spy).
Did you really get out of what I wrote that I in any way, shape or form LIKE the idea of a planet of Turtles? If so, I guess I have to re-think how I express myself.
Just so it's absolutely clear — I think a planet of turtles is not, in and of itself, a bad idea for some kind of science fiction/fantasy story. But as a way to explain any aspect of the backstory of TMNT, I think it is awful and unnecessary.
Of course, we have no idea at this point if the plan is to have a planet of Turtles. It's probably a good idea to wait and see. — PL
Now that Liebesman has commented, and Laird has clarified himself, how do you feel about Ninja Turtle reboot? Sound off in a comment below.
Next Showing: Teenage Something Ninja Turtles opens December 25, 2013