R-Rated Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle Live-Action Movie Actually Happening And It’s Based On The Best Comic
The heroes in a half shell are coming back to the big screen again, but this time kids might have to stay at home. The success of the animated Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem has bolstered Paramount Pictures confidence in the IP, and now a movie based on The Last Ronin IDW comics storyline is in development.
According to The Hollywood Reporter, it will be a live-action film and will have an R-rating.
The Last Ronin
For those confused about an R-rated Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles movie, The Last Ronin is quite a bit different in tone than the typical Turtle-related media.
This mature and dark storyline follows one of the Turtles seeking vengeance against the grandson of the Shredder after he murders his brothers and master Splinter.
The gritty story takes place in a future version of New York City, and the surviving Turtle’s identity is kept secret for a good portion of the story since he dons the weapons of his fallen brothers.
Already In Development
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: The Last Ronin has already made some progress in the development stage, choosing Tyler Burton Smith as the screenwriter for the project.
Tyler Burton Smith penned the upcoming Sam Raimi-produced Boy Kills World and previously penned the 2019 film Child’s Play from the Chucky franchise. In other words, it seems like Smith is well-equipped to take on some dark and bloody material.
Adapted From The Comic
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: The Last Ronin will be produced by former DC Films head Walter Hamada through his 18hz production banner.
The film is adapted from the comic co-written by co-creator Kevin Eastman and Tom Waltz from a story by Eastman and co-creator Peter Laird.
The comic also has a sequel titled TMNT: The Last Ronin II — Re-Evolution, so we could definitely see a sequel film if the first one is a success.
Other Projects In The Works
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: The Last Ronin also isn’t the only The Last Ronin project in the works, as Black Forest Games is developing a video game adaptation that will be published by THQ Nordic for PS5, Xbox Series X/S, and PC.
There’s no current release date for that project yet, but the game is still in active development. Eastman has had some glimpses of the game so far, and he has mentioned that it looks “so beautiful,” so fans definitely have reason to get excited.
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem Helps
On top of being a fantastic film, it seems like Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem is playing a big part in revitalizing the franchise for new film projects.
After the disastrous live-action Michael Bay films that starred the Turtles in the 2010s, fans likely didn’t have much hope for the franchise. Mutant Mayhem definitely turned things around, and now we have a The Last Ronin film adaptation to show for it.
New Look Live-Action?
It’s interesting that Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: The Last Ronin is going for a live-action film after the reactions to seeing the Turtles in live-action in the Bay films.
Perhaps it will adopt a more Sonic the Hedgehog angle (after the first trailer’s backlash) that makes the Turtles look more realistic without making them look like CGI abominations.
In any case, stay tuned, and we’ll keep you updated on any more TMNT news.
Source: The Hollywood Reporter
