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Machelle Noel asked Greg Cipes some very awesome questions during this interview at WonderCon 2017. Image Source: GeekRockTV, WonderCon.
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An Enlightening Interview With Greg Cipes at WonderCon 2017

by Justin W
written by Justin W

WonderCon is almost always an amazing experience, and we were fortunate to have a fellow shellhead on hand at the event this year. Machelle Noel (AKA our very own April O’Neil) of GeekRockTV performed interviews with a variety of actors while attending the convention, but her discussion with Greg Cipes may have been one of the most interesting. As you may know, Cipes plays the role of Michelangelo in Nickelodeon’s Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, and he had a lot of interesting things to say about the fifth and final season of this series.

One of the biggest revelations was that he has written the lyrics for an Ice Cream Kitty song which will soon get its own music video. He also revealed that the series will finish off with an epic 3 part story which will wrap things up quite nicely. Afterward, he dropped a not-so-subtle hint which may have answered one of the biggest questions we’ve had for several months when saying “you never know where I’ll pop up in the new show.”

Machelle Noel tried to get some more definitive information about this, but all Cipes would say is that the amount of involvement he has with Rise of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles will depend upon the fans. It would appear that Nickelodeon may just decide to make Greg Cipes a regular on the show if the fans show enough support for him. Regardless of what comes next, he tried to reassure fellow shellheads by stating that he’ll always be Mikey where it counts and he’ll always be a part of the fan base.

After asking these questions, Noel moved on to a quickfire round of sorts which produced some pretty interesting answers. Here’s a rundown of some awesome responses from Greg Cipes himself:

  • He owns a pair of nunchucks and practices martial arts
  • The first Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles movie was his favorite
  • He prefers the animated series over TMNT comics or movies
  • His favorite pizza topping is Avocado (he is a Raw Vegan)

These were only a few of the more significant topics covered by Machelle Noel during the interview. If you’d like to see more, make sure to watch the whole thing in the video above. Alternatively, you can also check out her interviews with actors/actresses like Luke Perry, Rachel Kimsey, Wes Gleason, and Marisol Nichols in the video below. If you want to see everything else Machelle has been up to, check out her work on Facebook/Instagram/Twitter @MachelleNoelTV and @GeekRockTV. Special Thanks to Machelle Noel, Matthew Weatherson, Matt Beck, Emily Beck and GeekRockTV.com.

What was your favorite revelation from this Greg Cipes interview? Are you happy to hear that Cipes will be involved with Rise of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles? Share your thoughts and opinions either in the comments below or on Facebook/Twitter.

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Image of Tokka in Nickelodeon's TMNT series
NewsTV/Cartoon News

Tokka is Coming to Nickelodeon’s TMNT

by Justin W
written by Justin W

Remember those two villains that Shredder created in Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles II: The Secret of the Ooze? Well, at least one of them is going to be making a return to the franchise in Nickelodeon’s TMNT series. During a panel at Wondercon 2016, it was revealed that a future episode from the fourth season of the series will introduce two new characters.

One of these characters will be a new creation in the form of Chompy Picasso, but the other will be a completely new take on the oft forgotten Tokka. Rahzar has been in the series for a while now in the form of Dogpound’s second mutation, which begs the question of whether or not Tokka will also become a recurring character.

 

As for Tokka’s appearance in the series, it’s worth noting that they have significantly changed his character. Whereas the villain was once just an evil henchmen, Tokka has now become a “giant, magma rock kaiju monster that breaths fire.” Chances are that he’ll be just as stupid in this iteration, but this time his stupidity might actually pose a real threat.

Personally, I don’t have a problem with this change, because this baddie was literally created to avoid a copyright dispute. As I understand it, they couldn’t secure the rights to Bebop and Rocksteady for Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles II, so they decided to make Tokka and Rahzar instead. Since then, we really haven’t seen much of either character, so I think it’s fair to take liberties with their depiction.

To be honest, a fire breathing kaiju monster sounds way more awesome than whatever the heck Tokka was in The Secret of the Ooze. As for the other new character, Chompy Picasso is supposedly meant to become Raphael’s new pet. Of course, the last time Raph had a pet, it ended up causing quite a bit of trouble for the turtles, so it will be interesting to see if Chompy develops into anything more than just a pet.

When it comes to Tokka, I fully expect his story to last all of one or two episodes at most, so I doubt there’s any reason to be upset about this interesting take on his character. If anything, we should be happy that they took an otherwise dull character from the past and made it way more radical!

What do you think? Am I crazy for thinking that this new take on Tokka is going to be awesome? Will Chompy become a significant character in Nickelodeon’s TMNT? Well, we’ll find out soon enough, as both characters will be introduced in Episode 13, which will air on April 17th, 2016. Let us know what you think either in the comments or via facebook/twitter.

UPDATE: This article has been updated to reflect more accurate information. As of yet, we have not been able to locate the video of Tokka in the new series.

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Image of Krang from Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Out of the Shadows
Movie NewsNews

Out of the Shadows Details Revealed at Wondercon 2016

by Justin W
written by Justin W

We’re just a few short months from the release of Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Out of the Shadows, which means that marketing is in full effect for the film. The studios are no doubt looking for every possible opportunity to promote the movie, so it shouldn’t come as a surprise when they drop in on a convention like Wondercon and reveal some juicy details about Out of the Shadows. Over the weekend, producers Brad Fuller and Andrew Form joined Megan Fox and Stephen Amell to discuss the new TMNT movie and give everyone another taste of what they can expect later this summer. Let’s take a look at some of the information they provided!

Krang Will Be Voiced By Fred Armisen

Image of Fred Armisen, who will be voicing the character of Krang in Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Out of the Shadows

Perhaps best known for his time on SNL and the hit television series Portlandia, Fred Armisen will now be adding “Evil Utrom Overlord From Another Dimension” to his IMDb Filmography. Speaking as someone who loves his work, I have to say that this choice is actually a little surprising. I have no doubt that he can pull it off, but one has to wonder how he will sound as everyone’s favorite baddie from Dimension X. Thankfully, we might not have to wait too long to hear Armisen perform this role, as Andrew Form has stated that they will be revealing Krang’s voice in upcoming marketing attached to Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Out of the Shadows.

Bebop and Rocksteady are “Dumb and Fun”

Bebop and Rocksteady as they appear in Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Out of the Shadows

During the panel at Wondercon, the producers referred to Bebop and Rocksteady by using two words in particular: dumb and fun. I’m sure some fans will take issue with this, but before you get upset that they might not be taking your favorite characters seriously, perhaps you should go back and watch some of the original TMNT cartoons. In their original design, Bebop and Rocksteady were exactly as Form described them when he called them “idiots” and “knuckleheads” during the press event. As a long time fan, I’m actually kind of glad to hear that they’re respecting the source material and providing the right characterization for these two morons.

Stephen Amell Knows How to Play Hockey

Casey Jones in Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Out of the Shadows

Stephen Amell went to great lengths to make sure that he got the character of Casey Jones right. Not only did he learn an entirely new style of fighting, but he also brought some of his skills with the puck to the table. When asked if he knew how to play hockey before taking the role, Amell said “I’m Canadian. It’s like asking people with feet if they walk.” In other words, we can rest assured that his fighting style is going to look authentic and that he’s probably going to fit the role of Casey Jones quite well.

Does this latest news make you more or less excited for Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Out of the Shadows? Are you concerned about the characterization of Bebop and Rocksteady? Do you think Fred Armisen will be able to pull off a good Krang voice? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below, and feel free to share your thoughts on facebook/twitter.

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Voice Actors Greg Cipes and Rob Paulsen will be appearing at Wondercon 2016
EventsNews

TMNT Voice Actors Appearing At Wondercon This Weekend

by Justin W
written by Justin W

If you’re looking for a turtley awesome way to celebrate this Easter weekend, there are going to be more than a few excellent options. Shellheads living in the Los Angeles area will want to head out to Wondercon on Saturday for the opportunity to meet and get autographs from the voice actors behind Nickelodeon’s Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. This is only one TMNT related event taking place during Wondercon, but there will be many other memorable moments as Bebop, Rocksteady, and all four Ninja Turtles are also prepared to make an appearance at the convention this weekend!

Wondercon logo

Unfortunately, unless you currently live in the area, this probably isn’t going to be a viable option. Wondercon promises to be a lot of fun for fans who can actually attend the event, but many others will be stuck at home – which might not actually be a bad thing. After all, the special crossover episode of Nickelodeon’s Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles is set to premiere this Saturday! It’s not every day that the voice actors from the original TMNT cartoon get together to reprise their roles for the modern version of the Ninja Turtles series, so this will definitely be a moment to remember.

tmntcrossover12

No matter what you’re planning to do this holiday weekend, don’t forget to make the experience as green as possible with the help of our heroes in a half shell. Oh, and if you do get the chance to meet Greg Cipes or Rob Paulsen at Wondercon, make sure to give ’em a ‘Booyakasha!’ for all of the fans who won’t be able to make it. I’m sure they wish that they could meet all of the TMNT fans out there, but that’s just the nature of conventions. As nice as it is to meet the vocal representations of our heroes in person, it’s not always a possibility for everyone. Thankfully, we’ll get to hear them no matter what in this week’s special crossover episode of Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles.

Have a totally radical Easter, dudes!

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