The Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles are doing better than ever, especially considering the upcoming three projects centered around the quartet, which gives fans plenty to be excited about. Created by Kevin Eastman and Peter Laird as a parody of popular comic tropes in 1984, the series ballooned into a franchise that has spanned decades of comics, animation, and live-action films. Their most recent reinvention, 2023’s Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem, was a critical success that has inspired a new approach to the characters.

Leonardo, Raphael, Donatello, and Michelangelo have had their ups and downs over the years, but now fans of the heroes in a half-shell have plenty to look forward to. The variety of projects coming down the pipeline highlights the adaptability of the franchise going forward, ranging from episodic teenage TV to a film adaptation of the franchise’s bleakest possible ending. All together, it showcases how much potential the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles franchise really has, and why fans have always flocked to the four.

Tales Of The Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Is Bringing The Movie Characters To TV

The Latest TMNT TV Show Is Directly Connected To The New Movies

The three upcoming Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle projects on their way highlight the great position TMNT fans are in for the rest of 2024 and beyond. The long-running franchise has been coming back out of its shell, thanks in large part due to the success of TMNT: Mutant Mayhem. Tales of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles will build off that success by sharing the further adventures of that version of the group, allowing them to build off the characterization developed in Mutant Mayhem (albeit with a different TMNT animation style).

The show will bring back Micah Abbey, Shamon Brown Jr., Nicolas Cantu, Brady Noon, and Ayo Edebiri to reprise their roles as Donatello, Michelangelo, Leonardo, Raphael, and April O’Neil respectively, tying the events of the show directly to the films. While it’s far from the first TMNT animated series for TV, it’s also set to explore the inherently fun concept of seeing the Turtles adjusting to the surface world as high school students. Already green-lit for two seasons, TMNT fans can have confidence that the show plays into the clear overarching plans for the future of the franchise, and how they extend beyond film.

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem 2 Is Also Happening

A New Version Of Shredder Is Coming To The Big Screen

While Tales of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles will be the first follow-up to Mutant Mayhem, it isn’t the only one on the way. The critically acclaimed animated film is also getting a full-blown theatrical sequel. While the TV show seems to be positioned to follow the Turtles in their day-to-day lives, the upcoming Mutant Mayhem 2 will likely focus on the lingering threads from the film that were left over at the defeat of Super Fly, such as their newly established extended mutant family of animal hybrids like Bebop and Rocksteady.

Cynthia Utrom is still after the Ooze within the turtles, setting her up as an overarching threat to the franchise. She’s also willing to call the Shredder to get it. This sets up the film to introduce the new continuity version of the TMNT’s most enduring villain, which should be interesting given the changes made to the TMNT lore that largely removed their connection to Shredder. Likely not far behind is the inclusion of a new take on the Foot Clan, giving the creatives behind the series carte blanche to reinvent the organization as they see fit.

TMNT: The Last Ronin Will Bring The Acclaimed Comic Book To Live-Action

How The Film Could Be The Franchise’s Answer To Logan

While this new continuity is an exciting development for TMNT fans young and old, there’s also a live-action film adaptation of another TMNT property coming out that is set in an entirely different setting and timeline. The Last Ronin will be the big-screen adaptation of the Eastman, Laird, and Tom Waltz comic of the same name. Set in a dark possible future, the story focuses on the last of the Turtles as they reunite with few remaining allies in a desperate bid to save New York City from the Shredder’s despotic grandson.

Whereas the other current TMNT projects are focused on younger, optimistic versions of the characters, Last Ronin is a grim take on the typically colorful franchise that paints a dark potential future for the heroes. It’s effectively the Logan or Dark Knight Returns of the franchise and highlights the surprising versatility and adaptability of the TMNT franchise as a whole. All three of these projects, coupled with other appearances in other mediums like a relaunched comic series and an upcoming Last Ronin video game, proves Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles is doing better than ever.