This Summer’s sequel to 2014’s Turtles reboot is diving deeper into the universe of the beloved 80s cartoon series with five new, yet familiar characters. But perhaps the biggest revelation from the panel came when producers Brad Form and Anderw Fuller revealed that, yes, Krang really is in the movie aaaand…they cast Fred Armisen to play him.
Yes, that Fred Armisen.
“I don’t know if Portland is all that close to Dimension X,” Fuller said, referencing Amrisen’s Portlandia. “But his Krang is definitely from Dimension X.” The producing team also noted that Armisen’s first recording session had taken place earlier that same day and that fans should expect to see more of the character (and presumably his robot body) soon.
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We were, however, treated to two new character posters for fan favorites Bebop and Rocksteady, who were described as “dumb and fun.” “If they hit you it’s gonna hurt, but they’re easy to dodge,” Fuller added. The characters were originally planned to be a part of the 2014 reboot and the producing team’s excitement at finally getting them into the sequel was akin to watching two kids peel the plastic off fresh action figures.
And while there were a few tidbits about Baxter Stockman (Tyler Perry), the fans just about lost their minds as Arrow’s Stephen Amell took the stage to discuss his role as the hockey mask wearing vigilante, Casey Jones. When asked if he, a Canadian, had to learn how to play hockey for the role, Amell laughed and said, “Asking a Canadian if they play hockey is like asking someone with feet if they walk.”
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Indeed, when the panel rolled footage on an exclusive new scene, Jones looked great in action as he rescued April O’Neill (Megan Fox) from a gaggle of Foot Clan thugs.
We also learned that Jones gets involved with the Turtles while tracking a mutual enemy (Bebop and Rocksteady) and that this version of the character is a corrections officer by day, “crazy vigilante” by night.
Last but not least, Megan Fox took the stage and told the audience that the first movie focused more on April’s career and that the sequel didn’t, which prompted laughter from Amell, who perhaps understood how little the target audience might care about that aspect of the story in the face of mutant rhinos and killer brains.
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But Fox had other tricks up her sleeve, claiming to know all the dance moves to Vanilla Ice’s “Ninja Rap,” which she then demonstrated as the song came blaring through the Microsoft Auditorium’s considerable sound system.
The rest of the panel was turned over to the fans, one of whom had a question for “Eliza or Bob,” before silently staring down the small, confused panel. The taste of half-assed, college performance art was quickly washed out of everyone mouths, however, when a little girl in a cloak (it’s a comic book convention, remember) asked Amell “how he learned all of Casey Jones’ tricks.” It was an adorable reminder that this franchise is, like “tricks,” for kids.
“Is that an invisibility cloak from Lord of the Rings?” Fox asked the girl, who answered by sheepishly shaking her head “no.” “What are you?” Fox followed up. “She’s cold,” the girl’s father said from off stage. If there’s a funnier, sweeter moment at the convention this year, I’ll leave a very happy man.
Check out all our WonderCon coverage here.
