After the release of Jonathan Liebesman’s Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, it quickly became apparent that a sequel was in the works. What we didn’t know was which direction the film would take, or who would be starring in the film alongside the turtles. While it was great to see our heroes in a half shell squaring off against Shredder and his foot soldiers, there were quite a few memorable faces missing from the first film. Interviews with the filmmakers at SDCC 2014 revealed that there were a few characters in particular that they’d like to see if they got the opportunity to do a sequel, but until now it’s all been speculation.

Thankfully, today we can confirm that at least two of those notable characters are going to appear in the next Ninja Turtles movie: Bebop and Rocksteady. According to Screen Rant, producers Brad Fuller and Andrew Form confirmed in an interview that the duo will make an appearance in TMNT 2:

“We can say that Bebop and Rocksteady are in the film, and Casey Jones is a character that we love and we’re trying to fit him in as well.”

This isn’t too surprising, as the SDCC interview revealed their desire to work with these characters. That being said, it’s nice to hear that we will definitely be seeing at least two fan favorite villains from the franchise in the new movie. I’m sure we’re all hoping that they can find a place for Casey Jones, but it’s good to know that at least two familiar faces are going to make a return. Now we’ll just have to wait and see how they actually turn out in the film.

One thing is for sure: The buzz surrounding this movie is certainly getting a much better start than the PR disaster that took place before the previous film in the series. After all, letting the fans know that two of their favorite characters will be featured is a much better way to get them excited than by telling everyone that the turtles are aliens. It would appear that Brad Fuller and Platinum Dunes have learned from past mistakes and are instead giving the fans what they want. Hopefully this trend continues over the next year or two as the film is produced.

What do you shellheads think? Are you excited about the prospect of seeing a live action Bebop and Rocksteady? What do you think they will look like? Let us know in the comments below!