TEENAGE MUTANT NINJA TURTLES is going back to do some reshoots, but they will not be “extensive” as some outlets originally reported. Geeks of Doom reported that a third of Jonathan Liebesman‘s films was going to be reshot in the wake of fan reaction. After the first trailer for the movie premiered last week, many fans (including myself) rested a little easier seeing that the movie looked like a pretty action-packed blockbuster. Still, many were left with questions as to why Shredder was now a white guy and why the four Turtles resembled Shrek.
It has now been confirmed by Paramount as well as producer Michael Bay that TEENAGE MUTANT NINJA TURTLES will be staying in it’s August release date and that the reshoots are just standard pickup shots that occur on movies all the time. Bay even tweeted a confirmation below.
@RomeroMovieNews @TMNTMovie Not true.
— Michael Bay Dot Com (@S4TE) April 1, 2014
It would seem odd for a film to release a trailer confirming a release date only one week later to reveal reshoots might throw that off schedule. Studios tend to know well in advance if a movie is not going to make a release date. But, it does pose the interesting question as to whether there is any merit to fan reaction to the trailer affecting what the creative forces behind the movie want to do. Take a look at the banner image above that has been floating around the internet showing the TEENAGE MUTANT NINJA TURTLES trailer image on the left and a slight tweak on the right to a more traditional appearance for Michelangelo from the comics and cartoons. Like TRANSFORMERS, a slight change to design from page to screen is fine and likely has to do with the script, so it is nothing to get up in arms about. Plus, I think the studio would have realized they had an issue with the design a long time before they began manufacturing toys and other merchandise.
Calm down, relax, and try to enjoy the movie for what it will be. TEENAGE MUTANT NINJA TURTLES starring Megan Fox, William Fichtner, Whoopi Goldberg, and Will Arnett will hit theaters on August 8, 2014.