According to The Hollywood Reporter, Paramount is rolling out a full-scale expansion of Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles across film, digital, publishing, toys and even restaurants. Yes, actual pizzerias. Because if Leonardo, Raphael, Donatello and Michelangelo have taught us anything since their 1984 comic book debut, it’s that ninjutsu pairs well with extra cheese.
Paramount, which acquired the rights from co-creator Peter Laird in 2009, hasn’t pushed the brand this hard in years. Laird and Kevin Eastman launched the Turtles as an indie comic in 1984, and four decades later the franchise is still throwing punches. Josh Silverman, president of global products and experiences at Paramount, put it plainly: “Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles is full of action, humor and heart, and showcases relationships that have resonated with generations of fans worldwide.” He added, “Our new offerings continue the growth of this incredible property and demonstrate new ways for global audiences of all ages to relate to these stories and characters.”
For younger fans, Teeny Mutant Ninja Turtles launches this year on YouTube. Produced by Nickelodeon Digital Studio, the 30-episode CG series runs four minutes per episode and follows the brothers as ninjas-in-training. Think snack-sized adventures aimed squarely at the Spidey and His Amazing Friends crowd.
Older readers aren’t left out. On June 2, Abrams releases a prose adaptation of The Last Ronin, written by Erik Burnham. The original IDW graphic novel by Eastman and Tom Waltz centered on a lone surviving Turtle hunting Oroku Hiroto in a dark future New York. It once had an R-rated film adaptation in development before Skydance shelved it. Now it’s headed to bookstores for adult fans.
Younger readers get Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Splinter’s Dojo from Scholastic on September 1. Written and illustrated by Dan Abdo and Jason Patterson, it drops the quartet into middle school with comic panels, artifacts and text woven together.
Then there’s Mattel. A multi-year licensing deal kicks in with new action figures, vehicles and collectibles starting in 2027, tied to Mutant Mayhem 2 and a live-action/CG hybrid film set for 2028.
And about that pizza. Turtle-themed pizzerias open later this year in Santa Monica, Monterrey and São Paulo. After 40 years, the Turtles aren’t just fighting crime. They’re taking over your bookshelf, your screen and possibly your dinner plans.
