R-Rated TMNT Reboot Confirmed as Legacy Sequel to Original 1990 Film

in Movies & TV

'Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles' (1990) official poster - turtles lifting the manhole cover

Credit: New Line Cinema

TMNT fans are becoming increasingly impatient while they wait for more news about the upcoming R-rated live-action film based on the hugely popular, ongoing IDW Publishing comic book series, “Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: The Last Ronin”.

But there’s an exciting development in store regarding the “Roninverse”, which could point toward the film being even more ambitious than we first thought.

Since its announcement early last year, when it was revealed that former head of DC Films Walter Hamada is producing The Last Ronin movie through his 18hz company and that Child’s Play (2019) scribe Tyler Burton Smith is penning the script, we’ve not heard anything about the project. No director or actors are even attached to the film yet.

But now, there has been an exciting development, as the latest issue of “Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: The Last Ronin II: Re-Evolution”, released on January 8, confirms that the “Roninverse” takes place within the timeline established in the original live-action film, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (1990), one of the most beloved entries in the franchise.

'TMNT: The Last Ronin' cover art
Credit: IDW Publishing

In the highly anticipated “Re-Evolution” #4, which continues to flesh out the struggles of the four new Ninja Turtles, Yi, Odyn, Moja, and Uno, and their master Casey Marie Jones (daughter of April O’Neil and Casey Jones) in a dystopian, futuristic New York City, we learn through a series of flashbacks, as told by a much older April, that the 1990 film is canon.

When recounting the good old days with Leonardo, Donatello, Raphael, Michelangelo, Master Splinter, and her partner Casey Jones, all of whom have long since perished (as revealed in the original “The Last Ronin” series) April mentions her old thrift store 2nd Time Around in New York and the O’Neil farmhouse in Northampton (although it tweaks the latter into belonging to Casey Jones’ family instead).

While these two locations have been seen throughout the wider TMNT franchise over the decades, appearing in several iterations that span all media, it’s clear that the Roninverse is trying to form a bridge with the live-action film in question.

But this might come as no surprise to many fans. After all, as “The Last Ronin” takes place in the future, it has always been possible that any one of the many Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles origin stories serves as the bedrock for the Roninverse. Now, it seems the creators have made use of the beloved 1990 film.

Donatello, Raphael, and Leonardo in 'Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles' (1990)
Credit: New Line Cinema

Related: ‘TMNT: The Last Ronin’ Trailer Breakdown

The question is, does this mean that the new film adaptation will do the same thing? Last year, “The Last Ronin” co-writer Tom Waltz said he’d love to see actress Judith Hoag, who played April O’Neil in the original film, return in some shape or form. If Hoag does get cast in The Last Ronin, it would make the film both a sequel and a reboot.

Whether this will happen remains to be seen. If it does, it may wipe the floor with 2023’s 3D-animated hit, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem. The 1990 film is a beloved classic and is often cited as the best entry in the franchise to have graced the silver screen. “The Last Ronin” is also incredibly popular. Between the two, Paramount could have a certified hit on their hands.

The Turtles battling giant Superfly in New York in 'Mutant Mayhem'
Credit: Nickelodeon Movies / Paramount Pictures

Related: ‘TMNT’ Film Series Officially Dead in the Water as New Reboot Takes Over

TMNT fans are even clamoring to see the return of Jim Henson’s Turtles designs from the 1990 film. While it’s unlikely The Last Ronin will utilize practical effects over computer animation or motion capture performance in the same way the two live-action reboots from producer Michael Bay did, that doesn’t mean it can’t incorporate the same design.

A couple of impressive fan-made TMNT videos from YouTube creator John Likens, which re-create the Jim Henson Turtles with computer animation, prove that The Last Ronin movie can definitely have its pizza and eat it. Watch both short films below:

TMNT Donatello:

TMNT Leonardo:

All five issues of “The Last Ronin”, all five issues of its sequel “The Lost Years”, the one-shot “Lost Day”, and the first four issues of the new series “Re-Evolution”, are on sale now. “Re-Evolution” #5 releases on April 27.

There’s no release date for The Last Ronin movie.

Do you want The Last Ronin movie to act as a sequel to the original 1990 film, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles? Let us know in the comments!

in Movies & TV

View Comment (1)