Credit: New Line CinemaThe Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles have been part of pop culture for over 40 years, thriving across comic books, video games, merchandise, television, and film as one of the few properties that constantly finds new life with each generation.
From the gritty Mirage Comics origins to Saturday morning shows and big-screen runs, Leonardo, Michelangelo, Donatello, and Raphael have stayed in the spotlight since 1984.
The Last Ronin Canceled
One of the franchise’s most ambitious projects was a live-action adaptation of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: The Last Ronin graphic novel — a story set in a dystopian future where only one Turtle survives to avenge his fallen brothers.
Paramount initially planned the film as an R-rated take on the acclaimed IDW Publishing series, which was co-written by Tom Waltz and original TMNT creator Kevin Eastman.
Now, instead of moving forward with The Last Ronin, the studio has opted for a new live-action/CG hybrid feature aimed at younger audiences. That project is currently set for November 17, 2028, and replaces The Last Ronin film, which for now, is officially shelved.
More Bad News for TMNT Fans
Recently, actress Judith Hoag, who originally played April O’Neil on the big screen, confirmed she’d been approached about reprising her role from the 1990 Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles film for The Last Ronin project, calling the idea “a great bookend” for her.
She acknowledged that talks happened before the project was shelved and hinted fans might still see something from the concept down the line. Per Collider:
“Yes, I’ve been approached, and I’d be happy. It would be a great bookend for me. And maybe that happens and maybe it doesn’t. We’ll see.”
Fans are understandably disappointed by news of the film being scrapped and Hoag’s revelation. Not only would an R-rated movie have been a first for TMNT, but an adaptation of such a popular comic book that also seemed set to double as a sequel to the most popular film in the franchise, would have undoubtedly gone down a treat with lifelong Shell-heads.
Related: Paramount Confirms 3 New TMNT Movies, First One Releases in Theaters This Month
The Last Ronin Given Second Chance
However, The Last Ronin isn’t disappearing. Per Variety, alongside other newly announced content, Paramount has confirmed a full-length novelization of the original comic — written by Erik Burnham and published by Abrams — which is scheduled to hit shelves in June.
The book will be a novel-sized prose adaptation of the popular IDW comic book series, giving fans a way to experience the story in a new format as the big-screen version stalls.
Here’s the official synopsis for the novel from Abrams & Chronicle Books:
“This expanded adaptation of The Last Ronin reimagines the bestselling Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles graphic novel in an action-packed noir novel, perfect for fans who grew up with the Turtles
Who is the Last Ronin?
After decades away, a lone surviving Turtle returns to New York City with one mission: To avenge his family by killing the leader of the Foot Clan, Oroku Hiroto. But nothing about the city—battle-ravaged and ruled over by Hiroto with an iron fist—feels like home, and nothing about Ronin’s mission goes to plan. With the help of old friends and new allies emerging in unexpected places, can Ronin finally get justice for those he lost?
What terrible events destroyed his family in the first place?
Featuring original black-and-white illustrations from the Escorza Brothers, this first-of-its-kind novel in the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles universe is a must-read for every Ninja Turtles fan.”
Clearly, The Last Ronin isn’t going anywhere. As for the video game adaptation, however, it’s still expected to be in development, although there hasn’t been an update in quite some time.
More TMNT Content Announced
Other upcoming TMNT content revealed in the announcement from Paramount include Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Splinter’s Dojo, a middle-grade illustrated novel releasing from Scholastic in September, and Teeny Mutant Ninja Turtles, described in the Variety article as a “30-episode CG-animated series consisting of four-minute installments that follow the childhood years of Leonardo, Raphael, Donatello and Michelangelo.”
The series is set to launch on YouTube this year.
Paramount has also struck a major toy licensing partnership with Mattel, with plans for more Turtles merchandise following the Playmates lines. The report also mentions “themed pizzerias opening in Santa Monica, Monterrey, Mexico and São Paulo, Brazil later this year.”
There’s also the VR game Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Empire City, coming March 31.
As for more theatrical TMNT projects, the 1991 sequel Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles II: The Secret of the Ooze is being re-released in theaters nationwide for a one-week, 35th anniversary running March 13–19. The 3D animated sequel Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem 2 is also currently in development and is slated for September 17, 2027.
Will the Last Ronin novelization be enough to remedy the disappointment caused by the film being shelved? Share your thoughts in the comments below!