Credit: Paramount PicturesTMNT co-creator Kevin Eastman has finally shared an update on the upcoming film and video game adaptations based on the hugely popular “Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: The Last Ronin” comic book series, which he co-writes with Tom Waltz.
While “The Last Ronin” has been ongoing since it arrived in 2020, with the second series “Re-Evolution” having recently ended with #5, there has been no word on the Triple-A game or the R-rated live-action film since they were first announced — which was over a year ago.
All we know about the upcoming TMNT game is that it’s being developed by Black Forest Games and published by THQ Nordic– who put out a teaser well over a year ago.
As for the film, when it was announced in April last year, we were told that the former head of DC Films Walter Hamada would be producing through his 18hz company while Child’s Play (2019) scribe Tyler Burton Smith would pen the script.
But there has been radio silence on both projects since, which has left TMNT fans worried that either one or both of the projects had been canned.
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Now, in an interview with IGN, while discussing in great depth the final issue of “The Last Ronin II: Re-Evolution” and a future third series, Kevin Eastman and Tom Waltz were asked about the status of “The Last Ronin” game and The Last Ronin movie.
“The video game was something that has been developed early on,” Eastman says. “Tom and I were brought in initially for looking at some of the concepts, looking at some of the development issues, and the things that were potentially happening there. There was a resting period, I think, or restructuring period. With the major developer, but I understand that, the last I heard from Nickelodeon, it’s back on track. So we hope to all share news in the future. We’ve got nothing definitive. We hope to all share news on the progress on the video game.”
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As for the film, which is said to be R-rated and live action, Eastman had some equally disappointing news. While it seems that this project isn’t canceled, either, it sounds like it will be some time before fans will be hitting theaters to watch the Ninja Turtles dish out brutal violence against on the big screen.
“I have had conversations and shared some details with Tom on the discussions on a Last Ronin movie,” Eastman reveals. “Hollywood is a very magical, confusing, challenging place as things develop. But some of the conversations I’ve had early on have been wonderfully positive, and they love what Tom and I have done. And I feel like, to quote the writer that I talked to a couple of times, he just loved what we did in ‘The Last Ronin I’, and said, ‘I just don’t want to be the guy that messes it up.’”
He adds, “So they’re very sincere. They’re paying attention to what’s been done before, but we’ve got nothing specifically we could share. I wish we could. And I think we’ll hear stuff more in the future as things go along, but there is definitely a desire from Nickelodeon and Paramount to do, not only a video game, but a live-action movie, and I’ve been told in the R-rated space.”
While this might not be the news fans want to hear, it sounds like both projects are at least moving ahead, albeit it at a snail’s pace. Fortunately, it sounds like they want to get both the game and the film right. After all, “The Last Ronin” comic book series has been incredibly successful and lucrative, so it makes sense that they’re taking their time to ensure that these two future adaptations also stick the landing with lifelong Ninja Turtles fans.
In the meantime, check out the teaser for the “Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: The Last Ronin” game below:
All “The Last Ronin” comic books, including the first series, “Lost Years,” the one-shot “Lost Day,” and “Re-Evolution,” are on sale now.
Are you happy or sad about this update? Let us know in the comments!