Teenage (Alien) Ninja Turtles: Michael Bay Upsets Turtles Nerds With New Film Details

Teenage (Alien) Ninja Turtles: Michael Bay Upsets Turtles Nerds With New Film Details

The release of producer Michael Bay's Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles big-screen reboot has already been announced for December 2013.

But while you might expect fans to be happy with the news there will soon be more Turtles films to watch, more Turtles toys to buy and more Turtles-branded fast food to scarf, it turns out the fans are actually furious.

So why are the fans so hot and bothered in their half-shells? Because the Transformers director has announced that the Turtles will be aliens in the new film, not mutants.

Speaking at a Nickleodeon event at the Jazz at Lincoln Center in New York, Bay said: "When you see this movie, kids will believe one day that these turtles do exist, when we're done with this movie.

"These turtles are from an alien race, and they're going to be tough, edgy, funny and completely loveable."

Aliens? Until now the Turtles were regular Earth turtles mutated into humanoids by green goo, which is what gave them their powers. For those who weren't nine years old in 1992, those powers basically comprise martial arts, the ability to make wisecracks and an obsession with pizza.

In any case, messing with one of the four words in Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles hasn't gone down well.

"I think Bay has long since abandoned his ability to feel shame," said Katey Rich at Cinema Blend.

Others were even more upset:

But for some the disappointment was hardly a surprise. Stu Heritage at the Guardian wrote: "The last 20 years have ensured that expectations of any new Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles movie couldn't possibly be any lower," he said.

"And yet, thanks to a combination of Bay, (director Jonathan) Liebesman and a deliberately misunderstood origins story, it looks like we might all end up being disappointed anyway."

The movie ('Ninja Turtles') will released on 25 December 2012.

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