It’s official! Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: The Last Ronin is becoming a movie. The acclaimed 2020 graphic novel from Kevin Eastman and Peter Laird is getting the big screen treatment at Paramount Pictures. What’s more, it will be an R-rated, live-action adaptation. That means the heroes in a half-shell are venturing into new, bloody territory here.
According to The Hollywood Reporter, Tyler Burton Smith (Boy Kills World, Child’s Play) is set to pen the screenplay for the film. Walter Hamada, the former head of DC for Warner Bros., is on board to produce. No word yet on who might end up in the director’s chair. There’s also no word on any potential casting for the project. In addition to the movie, The Last Ronin is also being turned into a video game, which was first announced last year.
Here is the synopsis for the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: The Last Ronin comic book.
“Who is the Last Ronin? In a future, battle-ravaged New York City, a lone surviving Turtle embarks on a seemingly hopeless mission seeking justice for the family he lost. From legendary TMNT co-creators Kevin Eastman and Peter Laird, get ready for the final story of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, three decades in the making! What terrible events destroyed his family and left New York a crumbling, post-apocalyptic nightmare? All will be revealed in this climactic Turtle tale that sees longtime friends becoming enemies and new allies emerging in the most unexpected places. Can the surviving Turtle triumph?”
The comic, written by Tom Waltz, was an unexpectedly huge hit for IDW in recent years. It instantly became one of the most beloved stories in the history of the Ninja Turtles franchise. So it’s not surprising that it’s being turned into a movie. It is a little surprising that it is going to be R-rated though. Live-action is also a bit of a surprise, given the success of the animated Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem.
Overall, it’s a huge moment for the franchise. IDW recently relaunched the comic book series with Jason Aaron at the helm. There’s also a two-season Mutant Mayhem show in the works at Paramount+. That, coupled with the Mutant Mayhem sequel and this recent announcement, means Turtles fans won’t have any shortage of things to look forward to.
The Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: The Last Ronin movie does not have a release date.
What do you think? Are you excited about the movie? Do you think live-action is the way to go? Join in on the conversation over on Facebook or Twitter!
