It's hard to imagine, but just two years ago in March of 2012, TMNT fans were outraged at statements made by Michael Bay concerning the new Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles movie. During a now infamous presentation, Bay announced that the turtles in the new film would have an alien origin. Needless to say, this has since been proven to be untrue, as it is clear now that the producer more than likely misspoke about the project. Since this false revelation, we've discovered many things about the new Ninja Turtles movie, including interesting casting decisions and the design of the turtles. Of course, discovering those designs was a little bit like pulling teeth, but now we've at least got a good idea of what to expect.

While some fans might still be upset about the whole “alien” scandal, most Shellheads have since taken a liking to the project and are eagerly awaiting the film. Just a few years ago, you would have been hard pressed to find anyone who had something nice to say about Bay's Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles movie, but now there are fans everywhere who are getting excited for its release. There are even bloggers defending the film and calling for fans to give it a second chance. Considering how much has come to light since Michael Bay's flub in 2012, it's easy to see why TMNT fans are beginning to take a liking to the project. To be fair, there are still plenty of fans who are cautious about the new Ninja Turtles movie, but many of them have changed their tune.

Unfortunately, it looks like we'll have to wait another 4 weeks to see the first trailer for the film, which is due to be released alongside Captain America: The Winter Solder. Quite frankly, it's sad to see that Platinum Dunes and Paramount don't have more faith in the project. Most studios release pictures and trailers related to films of this caliber roughly 8-12 months in advance. For example, Marvel's Guardians of the Galaxy is set to release one week before Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, and Marvel Studios has already released a trailer and special featurettes related to the movie.

Why Paramount/Platinum Dunes have elected to wait until April 4^th to release a trailer for the new TMNT movie is beyond me, but to be fair, that's only a month away! With so many fans giving the film a second chance, perhaps this is the perfect time for such an event. That being said, we've been dying to see something from the studios for months. Such has been our zest for information that Shellheads across the net have been leaking images related to the film for the past few months. The latest such leaked imagery has come in the form of cake toppers. We've got to be in a pretty sad state of affairs if the fans are getting excited by pictures of toys designed for the top of a birthday cake. No offense to the studios and the companies involved, but perhaps you shouldn't have been so tight lipped so close to the release of the film?

Regardless of all the flubs related to Bay's Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, many fans are now hoping for the best. If some of the leaked pictures we've seen are any indication, we may actually be in for a pretty good movie. Like many of you, I'll be reserving my judgments until I can actually see the film, but it's crazy to think about just how far we've come in a few short years. While at first the fans reviled the very concept of alien turtles, now a lot of us are willing to give this new TMNT movie a chance.

What do you think? Are you interested in seeing the new Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles movie directed by Jonathan Liebesman? Let us know in the comments below or sound off in our forums!