When we found out that there was going to be a TMNT Panel at NYCC 2015, we were ecstatic. Imagine our surprise when we discovered that it would be broadcast live on Twitch.tv! Sharp eyed Twitter followers may have caught our link to the event before it started, but if you missed the event, you might still be able to catch the highlights on the NYCC Twitch channel. Unfortunately, much of the event wasn’t broadcast due to possible copyright violations, so you’ll probably notice that there are large segments of the video that have been taken out. Hopefully we can do a good job of filling in those gaps here by discussing some of the most memorable moments from the NYCC TMNT Panel!
1. David Tennant Loves TMNT
Sure, it’s been confirmed that his role as the Fugitoid will span a 13 story arc, but how does Tennant actually feel about the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles? Well, according to Executive Producer/Writer Brandon Auman, he’s a huge fan! When talking about Tennant, Auman said that he wanted to do the show because he’s a TMNT fan himself. The doctor loves the Ninja Turtles? Well, of course he does! Oh, I’m sorry – Professor. He’s Professor Honeycutt.
2. Sean Astin Visits Via Phone
Despite the fact that he is currently training for the Ironman Triathlon in Hawaii, Sean Astin actually managed to make an appearance at NYCC 2015 – on Greg Cipes’ phone! The two managed to connect for the panel, and Cipes shared his screen for the audience to give Astin a chance to share some love for all the TMNT fans in the crowd. Even when he’s working his butt off, Astin manages to make time for all of his fans.
3. #Booyakabunga
Both Ciro Nieli and Greg Cipes came out on stage spouting this new catchphrase, which is clearly a combination of both Booyakasha and Cowabunga. This moment brings to mind all of the moments in the past that Cipes was asked whether or not “Cowabunga” would ever make its way into the new series. Of course, we got our answer for that during the third season, but it’s cool to see that they’re bringing in this new combination of the phrases in order to incorporate elements that all the fans enjoy. That has definitely been a theme with Nickelodeon’s Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles series, and we can’t wait to see where it leads!
4. New Characters Confirmed For Season 4
Although he may have been discussed previously, the official character design for Sal Commander was finally shown off during the panel. In addition to this, we also saw the first design for a new creature known as Wyrm, who will apparently be voiced by Keith David. As if that weren’t enough, it was confirmed for the first time that the Mandroid (used by Krang in the original animated series) will be making an appearance in Nickelodeon’s TMNT! Needless to say, these are all welcome additions and I’m sure the fans are excited to see what comes of the fourth season.
5. TMNT Season 4 World Premiere
Speaking of the fourth season, they celebrated the world premiere of the first episode during the live panel at NYCC! Yes, they actually paused the event and let the show speak for itself, which is pretty awesome if you ask me. I’m sure we all wish that we could have been there, but even if you missed it, there’s no need to fret – the first episode of TMNT season 4 will be airing in a few short weeks on October 25th! You’ve only got a few more weeks to wait before you can get your Booyakasha on once again.
6. Seth Green Plays With Mega Bloks
Mere days after we discovered that Mega Bloks would be doing their own TMNT line next year, we saw their first official appearance during the TMNT Panel. In a clever use of construction toys, TMNT Mega Bloks were used to create the name cards for each actor. Seth Green in particular was quite taken with this, and he was seen playing with the toy set for quite some time while his fellow actors were answering questions. Speaking from experience, I can confirm that TMNT toys are excellent distractions.
7. Classic TMNT Crossover Episode Planned
Along with everything else they discussed during the panel, it was confirmed that one of the upcoming episodes would feature the classic Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles meeting up with the new school turtles. Although they made an appearance in an earlier episode, it would appear that this episode is going to be a true crossover similar to Turtles Forever. With that being said, it’s best that we don’t confuse the two stories, as this upcoming crossover event will apparently feature its own original story.
What were you most excited to see? Are you as psyched about TMNT Season 4 as we are? Let us know in the comments below!