The Turtles in 'Secret of the Ooze'TMNT is ready to roll out major new projects, but some will be geared toward adults.
Recently, per Variety, Paramount announced several new additions to the long-running franchise. These include a middle-grade illustrated novel titled Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Splinter’s Dojo, which releases from Scholastic in September, and Teeny Mutant Ninja Turtles, a 30-episode CG-animated series that’s set to launch on YouTube this year.
There are even “themed pizzerias opening in Santa Monica, Monterrey, Mexico and São Paulo, Brazil later this year.” The studio has also struck a major toy licensing partnership with Mattel, with plans for more TMNT merchandise following the current Playmates lines.
That’s just recent news. There’s also the VR game Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Empire City, which hits shelves on March 31, and the re-release of the 1991 sequel Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles II: The Secret of the Ooze, which hits theaters nationwide on March 13 for its 35th anniversary. As for the newer films, that’s where things start to get a little complicated.
Related: TMNT Film Series Future Uncertain After Sequel Cancelation
The Complicated TMNT Movie Slate Situation
In November, The Hollywood Reporter confirmed that Paramount had shelved the highly anticipated live-action film adaptation of the popular IDW comic book series The Last Ronin, with the studio instead choosing to focus its efforts on a reboot with universal appeal.
This news came as a huge blow to longtime fans excited to see the franchise’s first-ever R-rated adaptation on the big screen. But plans for the replacement were quickly locked in, with the untitled CG/live-action hybrid subsequently given a November 17, 2028 release.
Let’s not forget the other film that’s in the works: the 3D animated sequel Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem 2, which was recently brought forward from September 17, 2027 to August 13, 2027 (although it was originally set to release on October 9 this year).
With two family-friendly theatrical releases now in development, Paramount is unlikely to even have time to reconsider The Last Ronin. So it seems the film really has been canceled. Rubbing salt in the wound, actress Judith Hoag, who played April O’Neil in the original 1990 film Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles film, had been approached to reprise her role in the film.
However, despite all that bad news, there’s suddenly a newfound hope for the project. Not only that, but the “Roninverse” is set to continue in some exciting ways this year.
The Last Ronin Movie
Now, TMNT franchise co-creator and The Last Ronin co-writer Kevin Eastman has given fans hope by telling Entertainment Weekly, “I don’t think the movie’s off the table,” adding “I think it’s just delayed.”
“Speaking with all the folks at Viacom and Paramount and Nickelodeon who love the Turtles and really have done a fantastic job, whether it be the 2012 series to Mutant Mayhem, I don’t think it [The Last Ronin movie] will not happen,” Eastman explained.
“I think it will happen. One of the things that anybody I’ve talked to at the companies, they know the fans love and support all things [The] Last Ronin, as much as another group of fans love everything Point Grey [Pictures, production company], Seth Rogen and Evan Goldberg, and everybody has done with the whole Mutant Mayhem series. We’re not disheartened at all.”
So, it seems The Last Ronin has only been put on hold for now, which should please fans. But the good news doesn’t end there, as a number of other Roninverse projects are coming.
The Last Ronin Comics
Eastman, along with The Last Ronin co-writer Tom Waltz, also revealed to Entertainment Weekly, that a new comic book is coming. A new one-shot prequel titled Training Day will focus on Michelangelo and Casey Marie Jones, two of the leading characters from the series.
“While we were going through what he called the Roninverse, there were so many back alleys and stories and things that we couldn’t fit into the 200 pages that we had,” Eastman told EW. “One of the ones was just having Michelangelo spend time with Casey Marie Jones.”
The Last Ronin centers on Michelangelo, the last surviving Ninja Turtle, as he embarks on a one-way mission in a dystopian, futuristic New York City to avenge the deaths of his three brothers, Leonardo, Raphael, and Donatello, and his father, Master Splinter.
The first series began in 2020, and was followed by The Last Ronin II — Lost Years in 2022. That story is part prequel, part sequel, simultaneously revealing how Mikey became the Last Ronin and how Casey raised a new group of Turtles, Odyn, Moja, Uno, and Yi.
With Casey as their sensei, the new Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles featured in their own one-shot, Lost Day, before leading their own series with The Last Ronin II — Re-Evolution.
Now, the upcoming one-shot comic Training Day will show Mikey training Casey in a story set during the initial Last Ronin timeline. It hits shelves on July 15.
The Last Ronin Novel
As part of the multi-project announcement (via Variety), Paramount also confirmed a full-length novelization of the original Last Ronin comic, written by Erik Burnham and scheduled to hit shelves in June. Here’s the synopsis 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.”
The novel will be a full prose adaptation, and, as such, will feature new content that expands the original story, giving fans a whole new way to experience Michelangelo’s brutal journey.
The Last Ronin Game
Although we haven’t had an update about the Last Ronin video game in quite some time, here’s hoping that no news is good news.
The game is expected to be a “Triple A”, third-person action-adventure RPG based on the original comic and heavily inspired by the popular God of War series. It’s in development by Black Forest Games, with THQ Nordic set to publish it for all major platforms.
You can watch the initial teaser trailer below:
While there’s still no word on the video game adaptation, and with the theatrical project also stuck in limbo for the foreseeable future, between the comics and the novel there’s still plenty of Last Ronin content on the horizon this year alone.
As for the wider franchise, there’s no better time to be a TMNT fan.
Are you excited about all the upcoming Last Ronin content? Let us know!