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Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem was one of CinemaBlend’s favorite movies of 2023, quickly becoming a summer box office hit as it won over critics (read our review). Fans loved the fresh illustration style, as well as the enjoyably adolescent humor and vibes from the film’s cast. But while anyone could have seen a follow-up coming from a mile away, the next Ninja Turtles movie will be very different from what most fans are expecting. We’re talking live-action terror and violence instead of family-friendly fun.
Anyone who’s remotely familiar with TMNT history knows their adult-themed storylines haven’t been explored in depth on-screen, only through comic books. One of the most brutal has been IDW’s Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: The Last Ronin, which took readers and critics by storm in 2020, and that’ll be the source material for the new film.
According to THR, the Last Ronin feature is being produced by former DC boss Walter Hamada, who has helped lead major horror franchises like The Conjuring and IT. Tyler Burton Smith, who co-wrote Boy Kills World, will be penning the script for the upcoming movie.
The Last Ronin takes the usually fun-loving Turtles down a dark and serious route, where the last turtle standing — I’m not spoiling it for those who haven’t checked it out yet — wants to get justice after his three brothers were killed, resulting in a killing spree of his own. Fans responded very well to this miniseries, and its success helped drive conversations of whether it was time for the Turtles to go R on the big screen, while also inspiring spinoff storylines.
While it is exciting to see such a popular comic series come to life, it’s hard not to be concerned about the source material’s more heartfelt elements taking a backseat to the more extreme sequences that fit the R rating. Through all The Last Ronin‘s most violent moments, the deep, loving bond between the brothers and their sensei Splinter is present.
So, it’d be a shame for this new followup to be so focused on blood and violence that the heart of what makes TMNT so great is nonexistent. You want to believe that won’t be the case, but Hollywood has a way.
The Last Ronin, which sadly won’t be on the 2024 movie schedule, may open up opportunities for Mutant Mayhem and future stories to expand their respective scopes even more with scarier and more intimidating creatures, and gnarlier action scenes, which I can get behind. Mayhem was already pushing boundaries for a PG movie, which is due to some of the language and fight sequences featured.
There have also been cases of dirty jokes and not-very-kid-friendly scenes throughout past TMNT movies and shows. (Nobody can forget Raphael screaming “Damn!” loud enough for all of New York to hear in the 1990 feature.) So, I’d definitely be interested to see how Ronin influences upcoming IPs.
It’s still too early to see where this followup is headed, but I’m just stoked for more Turtles. Besides Hamada’s take, we’ll also be getting a Mutant Mayhem sequel in 2026. Sadly, there aren’t any specific plot details about this yet either, but we’ll keep you updated on the latest changes as they happen. In the meantime, if you’re looking to get in on some New York sewer action, you can watch Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle: Mutant Mayhem with a Paramount+ subscription.