As expected, when word of Michael Bay changing the origins and a base principal of the ‘Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles’ for the upcoming film the internet turned to the original creators Eastman and Laird for their reaction and in some instances help with defeating Bay’s idea of turtles from space.  While it’s interesting to get the creator’s perspective it’s really misguided to ask them to intervene on their creations behalf as they have both separately sold off all rights to the concepts and characters over a year ago.

Peter Laird was the first to react with an insightful and revealing post on his personal Ninja Turtles blog:

I have had several requests from TMNT fans during this past week to comment on the idea of the Turtles being “reimagined” as aliens for the upcoming TMNT movie to be produced by Michael Bay. A few people — who don’t seem to understand that I am no longer in control of the property — want me to stop this, somehow. Obviously, I can’t do that, even if I wanted to.

But I would actually encourage TMNT fans to swallow the “chill pill” Mr. Bay recently suggested they take, and wait and see what might come out of this seemingly ill-conceived plan. It’s possible that with enough truly creative brainpower applied to this idea, it might actually work. I’m not saying it’s probable, or even somewhat likely… but it IS possible.

However, as I have pondered this further, I have realized that in one way it IS truly a genius notion. Let me explain…

Over the years, I have made no secret of my distaste for what I consider to be the weak, facile, creatively bankrupt idea which can be summed up like this:

“If FOUR Ninja Turtles are good, then FIVE (or more) Ninja Turtles MUST be better!“

It was in large part this brain-dead notion that led to the creation of the execrable “Venus de Milo” character in the blessedly short-lived live action TV series  “Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: The Next Mutation”. And I can’t tell you how many times we got mail in the early years of the Turtles from people who thought it was simply an amazing idea to do a “fifth Turtle”, and how many times those same people suggested that this fifth Turtle be named “Picasso”. And many times, the brilliant idea to explain this extra Turtle was that, instead of there being just four pet shop turtles in that glass bowl in the origin story, there were really FIVE.

Sigh.

Anyway, to get back to the “TMNT are aliens” thing — the reason I say it could be a “genius” idea is that — for the first time — someone has come up with a way to have as many freakin’ Turtles as they want. I mean, if the TMNT are actually members of an alien race, there could be a whole PLANET of them!

You can read Mr. Laird’s full statement on this and learn more about their idea for a 5th turtle at his official blog.

Kevin Eastman appears to be more in the loop with the production and is “on board’ with the project and posted this update on his facebook page:

Hey Guys, Sorry to have been away for so long–completely swamped with work–but it is some pretty exciting stuff. I had been invited to check out the TMNT film development by my friend Scott Mednick over the years, and a while back had a full look behind the curtian at what writers Appelbaum and Nemec, director Liebesman, and producer Bay are doing–and trust me–it IS AWESOME. I’m officially on board, and will share more as I’m allowed… thanks all!

So now that both the creators have weighed in and seem to be OK with the changes does that change your minds at all about the project?