William Fichtner is Shredder in the 'TMNT' Film

Well, that was certainly unexpected. When word broke William Fichtner (The Dark Knight, Black Hawk Down) was cast in Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, I sincerely thought he'd be Baxter Stockman or maybe even Fugitoid. But during an interview with HuffPost TV Canada, the actor revealed he's playing the Turtles' most famous villain, Shredder.

"I play Shredder. It is cool. It's one of those things that came along where I thought, "Really? Let me think about this for a minute." [Laughs] Then I was like, "Yeah, OK, this sounds like a journey." I'm very glad that it worked out, I'm really glad that I'm doing it."

While speaking with IGN, Fichtner said, "It's not the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles you've seen before. This is new. This is a Michael Bay production. It's kind of freaky." Seeing as the Foot Clan is sporting a more militaristic vibe in this film (perhaps special forces with ninja training?), this is naturally going to draw strong parallels to the previously leaked script --- a script Bay claimed was thrown away and nothing like the final draft. In that version, the leader of the group was "Colonel Schrader" and based on this casting choice, I wouldn't be surprised if that's still the case (safe to assume his name isn't Oroku Saki, yes?).

And to the crowd about to flip tables or smash keyboards: if you're that upset over this franchise undergoing changes, then I sincerely hope you're also supporting it by reading the IDW series or at least watching the show on Nick. Both are excellent.

Directed by Jonathan Liebesman, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles hits theaters June 6, 2014.

Source: HuffPost TV Canada, IGN

I'm not. TMNT fan but ill give it a watch.

meh. not bad.

I really like William Fichtner as an actor.

But as I'm supporting the IDW series like a boss. F*ck this celluloid abortion.

Let the Sh*tstrombegin.

I like the actor, and I've seen worse casts.

I don't really care, but it is funny that, as almost always happens in big movies, a major non-white character is going to be played by a white dude.

He's a good actor so I don't mind

I don't get it....whenever they put out the casting notice did they even ask for an asian actor with martial arts skills or did this guy just ignore that and go apply anyway?

@danhimself: do you want a crappy all-muscle no talent actor? we dont.

blah blah blah

With that coment "This is a Michael Bay production. It's kind of freaky" I'm 100% sure this is going to be a fiasco, like Transformers 3...

I love the Turtles,I really do, so i'll watch the movie anyway... But now I'm really depresed

Nice bit of white washing there.......

why does my page say Giant Bomb and not Comicvine???

White guy plays Oroku Saki. REALLY?! there weren't any menacing asian/asian-american actors up for the role?

I don't know how I feel about this

Bay probably had his name changed to Stan Johnson or something.

Um, yeah. I want a TMNT movie. Not a movie where the Foot is a mercenary group and Shredder is a white dude, not the reincarnation of Tatsuo Takeshi (or is it Takeshi Tatsuo? I forgot).

Being a good actor is not the end all be all of a casting choice. Fichtner is completely wrong for the classic Shredder that everyone knows and loves. He's the wrong race, whitewashing is the word of the year in hollywood it seems, and he's the wrong build. If the guy is going to be a ninja, then this is a terrible move, if he's not going to be a ninja, why not just make it a completely different character altogether? The sting of the Megan Fox choice was finally starting to wear off, and I was actually excited to see how this movie would be...so much for that.

Thank you Wolverine for expressing my displeasure.

I thought Bay's first script with a militaristic Foot Clan was thrown out when it leaked out on to the internet. Now I hear Finchter is playing Shredder or Col. Shraeder. I feel like Kenan from Kenan & Kel:

If u r a true believer of TMNT and love the original mythology of the Turtles as I do then it is ur responsibility to bash this film when it comes out. It must stomped until it's a bloody smear on the floor. Transformers is one thing but this alteration can not be tolerated. Please do not be swayed by Michael Bay's talent for...

Only we true believers of the Turtles (who were conveaniently born in the 80's) can save the day and preserve their legacy.

Shredder should be Japanese, we've already had a white Mandarin and a White Tonto, I know Hollywood only sees it as racist when white people play black people but you know Japanese people actually do exist, they're the people who make all the technology that actually works properly.

Nice. He's an good actor.

Well, you're in luck because that movie does exist. 1990 TMNT, man :P

@thetimestreamer:

@ravenvice01: i think you are a bit too much extreme... Better support the Comic by IDW (that is really really GOOD) than going against a giant

this exactly

Didn't know Shredder was white.....

Reminds of The Last Airbender lmao.

I like Fitchner, he's a great actor who improves pretty much everything he's in and I won't even be mad at him for taking the role because he's not an A-list guy and he has to work for a living so I won't begrudge him a pay check but the producers were wrong for casting him.

@thetimestreamer: yeah cuz there's no talented Asian actors...

Feels like. Stretch

This is the look I have on my face now at this revelation. I guess "Colonel Schrader" may still be the case for this...::FACEPALM::

my first reaction to the news lol

Ugh, I was hoping an Asian martial arts/actor would play Shredder.. But whatever, the movie still might be enjoyable...

Says he was in The Dark Knight yet I don't remember him. =O I'm sure he'll do great though.

I have all 3 plus the animated TMNT movie. Not a huge fan of the second solely because Corey Feldman isn't Donatello and it just sounds weird

@samimista: he was the guy that owned the bank that Joker robbed in the first 5 min

He's the bank manager with the shotgun in the opening scene.

Ugh more whitewashing

They could still use the reincarnation idea from the IDW series with this guy. I actually have faith in this movie for whatever reason.

I will give it a shot.......I like William Fichtner as an actor too.

Shredder is supposed to be Japanese, I lost all interest in the movie.

Honestly, the casting of a white guy to play "Shredder" is just another mistake for the pile that this whole film is making (Interesting note, when originally writing that sentence, I accidentally typed "hole" instead of "whole" A rather fitting Freudian slip in this case)

You know, I really feel bad for actor when a great part comes along and they change the characters race. Imagine all the up and coming Inuit actresses we could have been introduced to if they hadn't decided to make Katarra white. Tho the lack of success from that movie might have made it a blessing in disguise to not be cast in it...

Funny, nothing they do shocks me anymore. Don't know if I'll go see it in the theaters, but I'll still rent it. I need to catch up with the comic though.

@jonny_anonymous: @jonny_anonymous: Ah! Okay I do know him then. xD Thank you. =D

a young christopher walken takes to the stand

I love it how some peeps are complaining about a white guy being saki, because we all know theres only one shredder right in the tmnt saga? Lol whos to say hes it reslly chrell, i mean aliens are in this...so its not Far off theory. Just saying...

(╯°□°）╯︵ ┻━┻

I hate Bay. He ruined Transformers and now TMNT. I'm sure it will make a gazillion dollars but another small cherished part of my childhood has died again.

I'm ok with this casting choice. Though an Asian Actor would've made more sense.

Still terrified to see what abomination Bay morphs TMNT into. Only time will tell...

@samimista: He was the guy who got in a small shootout with Joker during the Bank Robbery. Remember? He was all like ``What do you believe in?!"

I don't think he's right for the part. I see him as one of those actors who like, shakes with anger in order to be super dramatic and that works sometimes but I don't see Shredder looking like he's about to... uh, clear his bowles. 'naw mean?

Who knows though. This could be a superb performance. I'll wear a dunce hat if that happens

@guardiandevil83: Hehe! Yeah I remember him now. xD Didn't get this notification til now though. 0.o