Production Weekly, who are usually very reliable when it comes to things like this, report that the film will start shooting in New York this April. New York and April, how appropriate.

Principle photography on TEENAGE MUTANT NINJA TURTLES, is scheduled to begin this April in New York.

— Production Weekly (@prodweek) January 12, 2013

No word other than that. I would say it’s a safe bet that some of the things that caused so much fan discord has been tweaked or completely changed. With principle photography beginning so soon, it should be no time at all until we hear some solid casting info. What do you think? Are you saying this one is out for the count or should we wait to hear what’s changed?

Cody "The Thorverine" Ferrell, Michael Bay’s Ninja Turtles Movie Starts Shooting Soon

If you’re a fan of The Turtles and you’ve kept up with the news coming out about the new film over the last week, you’ve probably been pretty angry. First off, you have Michael Bay saying the Turtles would be loveable aliens, then you had the original turtle movie voice actors coming out of the woodwork coming down on the love or hate side of Bay’s comment. Then the creators of the comics talked about it, and if that wasn’t enough Bay recently said that the movie would be dropping the Teenage Mutant part of the title and simply be called Ninja Turtles. Bay wrote on his website today about the name change:

Paramount marketing changed the name. They made the title simple. The characters you all remember are exactly the same, and yes they still act like teenagers. Everything you remember, why you liked the characters, is in the movie. This script is being developed by two very smart writers, with one of the original creators of Ninja Turtles. They care VERY MUCH about making this film for the fans. Everyone on this team cares about the fans. Just give them a chance. Jonathan the director, is a major fan of the whole franchise. HE’S NOT GOING TO LET YOU DOWN.

Today, MTV talked with the director Jonathan Liebesman about The Turtles while he was doing promotion for his new movie Wrath of the Titans.

Some of his comments may make some fans breath slightly easier, since he admitted to being a fan himself as well as the part where he promises to keep it in line with the previous mythos. We’ll just have to wait and see how things turn out, but I doubt this will halt Turtlegate and appease the hardcore fans.

Cody "The Thorverine" Ferrell, Ninja Turtles Director Comments On Turtlegate