‘Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles 2’ Moving Forward With a New Director

One of the most surprising success stories of the year was the Michael Bay-produced ‘Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles’ reboot, which wound up grossing $464 million worldwide. Directed by Jonathan Liebesman, the new, live-action take on the Turtles may have left something to be desired among critics, but audiences proved that there’s still a healthy fanbase for the enduring heroes—which is why there’s a sequel in the works. Liebesman won’t be returning, however, but Paramount has already found his replacement.

Variety reports that the studio wanted to try a different approach with the sequel, so they began searching for the right director for the job. That director is David Green, who helmed this year’s sci-fi family throwback film ‘Earth to Echo,’ and is also known for his short films. Paramount had already set a 2016 date for ‘Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles 2' long before they settled on a new director, speaking to their confidence in the franchise’s ongoing success.

It’s unclear which—if any—cast members will return from the first film, although we assume Megan Fox will reprise her role as April O’Neil, with Will Arnett’s return also a possibility. Johnny Knoxville, Alan Ritchson, Noel Fisher, and Jeremy Howard are likely to return to play the roles of the titular Turtles, as well.

‘Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles 2' will hit theaters on June 3, 2016.