Kevin Eastman Teases How the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: The Last Ronin Movie Is Like Frank Miller’s Dark Knight

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Kevin Eastman, one of the creators of Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, is stepping out to share news about “The Last Ronin” movie. This story, initially developed by him and Peter Laird in 1987, serves as a continuation of the TMNT saga. Eastman has confirmed his involvement with the live-action adaptation of this five-issue IDW miniseries that he co-wrote with Tom Waltz. In “The Last Ronin,” we follow the last surviving turtle on a worldwide mission to avenge his brothers and bring an end to a long-standing feud against Oroku Hiroto, the grandson of their arch-nemesis, the Shredder, set in a potential dystopian future.

At San Diego Comic-Con, Eastman shared that he’s advisor for the upcoming project “The Last Ronin,” which sources say Paramount and Nickelodeon are working on as a darker, adult-oriented adaptation of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles series.

Eastman stated that he’s not required to participate in any aspects of their projects, but they invite him specifically for the comics, cartoon shows, and to consult on movies, particularly “The Last Ronin.” He loves this involvement and finds them terrific.

Eastman clarified that he has been communicating with screenwriter Tyler Burton Smith (of the work “Boy Kills World”), but was unable to verify rumors about “The Last Ronin” receiving an R rating.

Eastman expressed great enthusiasm about their work and future plans. He mentioned that everyone is talking about it potentially being an R-rated project, but until they formally confirm, we’ll stay tuned for their official announcement.

Later, Eastman discussed the possibility of the film delving back into a universe previously portrayed in other movie adaptations, such as the ’90s Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles trilogy or the Nickelodeon Movies reboot series produced by Paramount and Michael Bay during the mid-2010s.

The discussions I’ve been part of suggest that people appreciated “Last Ronin” because, for them, it was a heartfelt tribute to Frank Miller’s Dark Knight, as portrayed in the groundbreaking miniseries “Batman: The Dark Knight Returns.” Eastman mentioned this, emphasizing that Miller’s Batman and its associated elements exist in “Dark Knight,” but it was set slightly off from canon, allowing for more creative freedom. In a similar vein, “Last Ronin” follows the same approach, but it is deeply rooted in the Mirage Universe.

In essence, the first issue of Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles from 1984 can be seen as “the start” and The Last Ronin serves as “the finale.” He further explained that this seems to be their intended strategy, a decision he appreciates and deems wise. He believes this approach is appropriate and fitting for the series.

a sequel/prequel series titled “The Last Ronin: The Lost Years“, a one-shot named “The Last Ronin—Lost Day Special“, and the sequel “The Last Ronin II: Re-Evolution“. All these stories are written by Eastman and Waltz.

Previously serving as the head of DC Films, Walter Hamada is now producing “The Last Ronin,” set to be the first live-action Ninja Turtles movie since the release of “Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Out of the Shadows” in 2016. Notably, Hamada has also served as an executive producer for the “Conjuring” series under New Line Cinema, as well as movies starring Keanu Reeves like “47 Ronin,” James Gunn’s “The Suicide Squad,” and Matt Reeves’ darker take on “The Batman.

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2025-08-03 22:13