Original April O’Neil Was Returning for TMNT: THE LAST RONIN

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I was really excited to hear a few years ago that Paramount was planning a darker, R-rated Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles movie based on the fantastic comic book series, The Last Ronin. It was set in a bleak future where the Turtles were nearly wiped out, with only one left seeking revenge. Sadly, with the recent shake-up in the TMNT universe, that project was shelved. But here’s some cool news I just learned from Collider: Judith Hoag, who many of us remember as April O’Neil in the original 1990 film, was set to reprise her iconic role! It would have been amazing to see her back, and it’s a real shame we won’t get to see this version of the story.

At Big Lick Comic Con, Judith Hoag – who played April O’Neil in the original Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles trilogy – hinted she’d been asked to appear in the canceled The Last Ronin movie and would be thrilled to do so, calling it a fitting conclusion to her involvement with the series. This suggests the film was intended as a direct sequel to the original trilogy, which would have been exciting. While the movie is currently on hold, there’s still a chance Paramount might decide to make it after all. Currently, Paramount seems to be focusing on making TMNT more appealing to children, hoping to recapture the franchise’s popularity from the 1990s.

Although Paramount has paused work on The Last Ronin, plenty of Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles projects are still planned. A sequel to the popular animated movie, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem, is scheduled for release in 2027, along with a new animated TV show. Another live-action reboot is also in the works, meaning Leonardo, Donatello, Raphael, and Michelangelo will return to theaters soon. However, these upcoming projects won’t focus on mature themes, at least not right away.

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2026-02-13 00:02