"Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles" Remake Shooting in New York City?

Michael Bay's controversial Ninja Turtles remake film will reportedly begin shooting in New York City, according to a tweet by Production Weekly this weekend. Bay will take on the role of producer of the film, while Jonathan Liebesman (“Battle: Los Angeles”) will be the director.

The film came under fire last year from fans of the classic ‘90s film and cartoon series when Bay announced that the main characters would be altered as aliens. The producer was also criticized for shortening the original Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles name. Robbie Rist, the actor who played the voice of Ninja Turtle Michaelangelo accused Bay of "sodomizing" the legacy of the franchise.

"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,” Bay said in a statement. “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."

"Ninja Turtles" is slated for a May 16, 2014 release, which is also the tentative release date for Warner Bros' Godzilla remake.