Cowabunga returns to the big screen. Paramount Pictures is preparing a new live action reboot of Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, and the studio has turned to a familiar name. Neal H. Moritz, the producer behind the hugely successful Sonic the Hedgehog movie franchise, is now in talks to lead the relaunch of TMNT. Toby Ascher, Moritz’s longtime partner at Original Films, is also set to produce.
The decision comes as Paramount evaluates its major brands under the Skydance umbrella. Unlike some of its other franchises, TMNT is a property Paramount fully owns after acquiring the rights from co-creator Peter Laird in 2009. The studio now hopes to unlock the same wide reaching, family driven appeal that helped Sonic become a billion dollar success.
It has been almost a decade since TMNT last appeared in live action. The mid 2010s films came to an end after the box office failure of Out of the Shadows, which halted the franchise and pushed the brand toward animation. That shift led to the acclaimed 2023 animated film Mutant Mayhem, although its companion series Tales of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles was recently cancelled during production.
Another previously announced project, The Last Ronin, has also been shelved. The live action hybrid adaptation was being developed as an R rated film with director Ilya Naishuller in talks. However, the studio reportedly wants its next TMNT movie to appeal to all ages rather than beginning with a darker or more adult focused direction. Insiders say the concept could still be revived in the future.
Meanwhile, the sequel to Mutant Mayhem remains in development and is scheduled for release on September 17 2027, with Seth Rogen, Evan Goldberg, and Jeff Rowe returning.
The broader strategy behind the reboot is becoming clear. According to multiple sources, Paramount wants to create a Sonic style resurgence for the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. The Sonic films have become one of the studio’s most valuable family franchises, blending live action and CG animation with a tone that resonates with both longtime fans and new viewers. With Moritz at the center of that success, Paramount is hoping he can bring the same magic to TMNT.
As one insider put it, “If you want Sonic, you go to the guy who did Sonic.”
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Source: The Hollywood Reporter
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