If he ruins it further (which it sounds like he is), then help us all. The statement of him caring about the fans, well it will be false if there is no reference to anything that we loved in the movie. May as well make the movie about sheep grazing, would make as much sense as what he's doing now.
In my eyes (and all Turtle fan's eyes), there should be Shredder, Splinter, the Technodrome, Pizza etc. No "Aliens" or random "explosions". I recommend he watches the original ones, the ones in the suits, to get a grasp of what us fans expect from the movie.