New Live-Action TEENAGE MUTANT NINJA TURTLES Movie in Works

by

Good news for fans of Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles! According to The Hollywood Reporter, Paramount is searching for a new producer to lead future live-action TMNT movies and shows. Neal H. Moritz, the producer known for the Fast and Furious and Sonic the Hedgehog franchises, is currently in discussions to take on the role.

The last live-action Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles movie, Out of the Shadows, came out in 2016 and didn’t do as well as hoped. Since then, the franchise has been revitalized with the animated film and series, Mutant Mayhem, produced by Seth Rogen and Evan Goldberg. Given Moritz’s work on the Sonic movies, I expect any new live-action Turtles film will be more lighthearted than the darker, Michael Bay-produced movies from the 2010s.

While the news is exciting, there’s also some disappointment. The studio has decided to start completely over with a new approach, which means plans for a movie based on the darker comic book The Last Ronin are cancelled. This story follows the last surviving turtle seeking revenge on Shredder’s grandson in a bleak, post-apocalyptic world. It’s a fantastic, but very mature, story and the movie would have been rated R, making it unsuitable for children.

Nickelodeon has held the rights to this franchise since 2009, and since Paramount owns Nickelodeon, it’s clear everyone involved recognizes the importance of appealing to younger viewers. The franchise has always shifted between darker, more mature themes and being family-friendly. Originally, the 1980s comic was a harsh parody of Marvel, but it became hugely popular with toys and a successful cartoon after Playmates acquired the rights. Now, Paramount seems to be aiming for a movie that will appeal to a broad audience – families and adults alike – rather than a violent, adult-oriented action film.

The sequel to Mutant Mayhem, directed by Jeff Rowe, is still set for a Sept. 17, 2027 release.  

Kyle Anderson is a Senior Editor at TopMob and the host of the weekly podcast, Laser Focus, where he dives deep into pop culture. He also writes film and TV reviews, and you can find him on Letterboxd.

Read More

2025-11-21 03:03