Empire State Development screens 'Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Out of the Shadows' for WNY residents

Community celebrates movie that had multimillion-dollar economic impact while filming in Buffalo

Empire State Development announced a community screening of "Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Out of the Shadows" was held in Buffalo, giving fans there a chance to see the car chases, explosions and wild helicopter rides that were filmed along Buffalo's Kensington Expressway in advance of the film's theatrical release.

Gary Anthony Williams, who plays the villain Bebop, was in attendance at the event at the Regal Elmwood Cinemas.

The screening was available to community groups in the Buffalo area, including Hamlin Park and Glendale block clubs, Peacemakers, Community Action Organization, Restore Our Community Coalition, and others such as outreach through Boys and Girls Clubs and Cradle Beach camp.

While filming in Buffalo, Paramount Pictures and Nickelodeon Movies spent an estimated $7 million and invested extensively in local businesses and resources. Statewide, the film spent an estimated $70 million, resulting in more than 1,000 New York jobs.

"There is a special thrill for Western New Yorkers when they are able to see a movie, like 'Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Out of the Shadows,' that was filmed locally," ESD President, CEO and Commissioner Howard Zemsky said. "Gov. Cuomo's 10 percent expansion of the New York state film tax credit program for upstate productions is working to attract filmmakers to Buffalo, which helps boost the economy and promote regional tourism."

Many film productions have touted New York's film production tax credit program as a major factor when choosing the Empire State as the location to film. In 2014 alone, 194 film and television projects applied for the program and are projected to spend approximately $2.6 billion, while hiring tens of thousands of individuals in New York.

As a result of provisions designed to enhance the program and drive more productions to upstate New York, the program now offers an additional 10 percent on qualified labor costs for films that shoot or do postproduction in upstate counties.

In "Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Out of the Shadows," the heroes in a half shell join April O'Neil (Megan Fox), Vern Fenwick (Will Arnett) and a newcomer: the hockey-masked vigilante Casey Jones (Stephen Amell). After super villain Shredder (Brian Tee) escapes custody, he joins forces with mad scientist Baxter Stockman (Tyler Perry) and two dimwitted henchmen, Bebop (Gary Anthony Williams) and Rocksteady (WWE Superstar Sheamus), to unleash a diabolical plan to take over the world. As the Turtles prepare to take on Shredder and his new crew, they find themselves facing an even greater evil with similar intentions: The notorious Krang.

"Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Out of the Shadows" is in theaters today.