Paramount is making a major bet on the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. A new live-action film is currently in development, produced by Neal H. Moritz, who is best known for the studio’s “Sonic the Hedgehog” franchise. While no additional details have been officially confirmed, Paramount reportedly aims to deliver a family-friendly take on the turtle brothers Leonardo, Donatello, Raphael, and Michelangelo, according to the Hollywood Reporter.
With a focus on appealing to younger audiences, Paramount has decided to put its plans for the R-rated, live-action adaptation “Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: The Last Ronin” on hold. That project, announced in 2024, was based on the graphic novel series known for its intense and violent storylines.
The film was being developed by former Warner Bros. chief Walter Hamada and screenwriter Tyler Burton Smith, with “Nobody” director Ilya Naishuller in early talks to helm the project. Sources indicate that while the film is still considered a potential future project, it likely won’t move forward any time soon.
The franchise has not seen a live-action entry since 2016’s “Out of the Shadows,” which struggled at the box office, earning $245 million against a $135 million budget.
Paramount pivoted to animation with 2023’s “Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem,” written by Seth Rogen and Evan Goldberg, which performed modestly well, generating $181 million on a $70 million budget. A sequel from Rogen and Goldberg, titled “Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem 2,” is scheduled for release on September 17, 2027.
“Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles” was originally created as a comic book series in 1984 by Kevin Eastman and Peter Laird. Over the years, the franchise has expanded into a toy line, a popular animated series, several video games, and seven feature films, collectively earning more than $1.35 billion at the global box office.