The announcement that Michael Bay's Platinum Dunes would be rebooting the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles movie franchise has always faced harsh criticism from those who feel the words "Platinum Dunes" and "Michael Bay" are synonymous with wholesale slaughter of sacred cinematic cows.

Even TMNT co-creator Peter Laird had harsh things to say when a supposed script for the re-branded Ninja Turtles surfaced - one in which the characters origins had drastically revised into a sci-fi opera about extraterrestrial beings. Whereas Laird's former collaborator Kevin Eastman is supporting the Ninja Turtles reboot, Laird has been pretty forthcoming with his displeasure - including casting Megan Fox as April O'Neil the spunky reporter who befriends the warrior turtle gang.

Megan Fox and April ONeil

Laird took to his personal blog recently, and had this to say regarding the Megan Fox issue:

"My only exposure to Megan Fox as an actress is through her role in two "Transformers" movies and the wretched (but happily forgettable) "Jennifer's Body". It may not be fair to judge her range of acting skills just from those three movies, but I think it is safe to say that there are probably hundreds of better choices for the role of April O'Neil. Of course, her name has promotional value, and maybe that's what they want. Who knows? I can't get myself too worked up about it."

Just so we're clear: Peter Laird has no say or control over what happens with this new film - so if you're counting on him to be the sane man in the room who helps this project somehow avoid what looks to be impending disaster... your  faith is in the wrong place. Laird's well-measured words DO have the power to rile up the most ardent fans - who will likely point to this case as "evidence" that the Platinum Dunes crew are (once again) 'screwing up their childhood.' After all, if  one of the TMNT creators doesn't like it...

Kevin Eastman says Ninja Turtles in looking to The Avengers for inspiration

The most interesting thing about all of this is watching the almost bi-polar divergence in opinion between the two men who first created TMNT. Between Eastman's impassioned defense of Ninja Turtles and Laird's figurative sighs of disappointment (see above), one begins to wonder if one party isn't more responsible than the other for the property's transformation from an imaginatively gritty and violent series of comics, to the over-milked, bubble-gum-flavored cash-cow it has become over the years. Not sayin', just sayin'...

Do you agree with Laird that there are 'hundreds of better choices' than Megan Fox for the role of April O'Neil, or do you think having America's premiere piece of eye candy back in the hands of Bay is match made in heaven?

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Ninja Turtles flies into theaters on June 6th, 2014.

Source: Peter Laird (via CBM)