Ever since they unveiled the CGI model of the original Mandroid during a panel at NYCC last year, we’ve known about plans for a new Nickelodeon TMNT crossover episode during season four. Fans have been eagerly awaiting more news about this Ninja Turtles crossover event ever since, and we are happy to announce that Nickelodeon has finally provided the release date for this episode: March 27th. That’s right – in a few short weeks, you’ll have the opportunity to see the classic ’87 Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles team up with the modern turtles in their universe. If this all sounds a little confusing, allow me to explain.
A few years ago, we got our first glimpse at what the classic turtles would look like in the modern TMNT series when Nick’s heroes in a half shell stumbled upon their universe momentarily while exploring portals created by Kraang technology. Unfortunately, this was only a small cameo appearance for the original cast and crew, but it at least gave us a taste of how they could introduce the retro Ninja Turtles into the newer series. It would appear that creators Ciro Nieli and Brandon Auman have tweaked this concept a bit in order to bring the classic turtles directly into the modern CGI landscape that younger fans will no doubt be more familiar with.
As revealed in a video released on IGN today, the classic turtles (voiced by the actors who originally portrayed them in the 80’s) will actually be getting full-on CGI models for their appearance in this crossover episode. Meanwhile, Nickelodeon’s turtles will be getting their own makeover in a 2D animated world. As if that weren’t awesome enough, we also know from the CGI model revealed during the NYCC panel last year that the classic Krang will be making an appearance as well. The question has been whether or not Pat Fraley will be voicing the character, and Andre of Black Nerd Comedy fame has suggested that this is actually the case.
In addition to this episode featuring classic voice acting from the original TMNT series, it would appear that The Black Nerd himself may actually be voicing a character in the show. All throughout his coverage of the Nickelodeon TMNT crossover, Andre kept dropping hints that he may have been involved in the creation of the episode at some point. We won’t know what his hints actually meant until he has an opportunity to speak freely about it, but I think it’s safe to say that we should keep our ears open during this crossover event. Whatever the case may be, this is definitely shaping up to be one of the most entertaining Ninja Turtles events leading up to the release of the new movie in June.
If you were a fan of the original animated series, what are your thoughts on this Nickelodeon TMNT crossover? Do you think they should stick to their own material, or are you happy to see them bringing back the original cast and characters for an entirely new generation of Ninja Turtles fans to enjoy? Let us know your thoughts either in the comments below or via facebook/twitter.