Paramount plans to go big or go home with Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles by launching a YouTube show, restaurants, and more
Now that Skydance owns Paramount, the new brass wants the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles to come out of the shadows for a massive marketing push that will have fans and investors alike shouting cowabunga! According to The Hollywood Reporter, the Heroes in a Half-Shell will throw the wildest pizza party ever, with plans for more big and digital screen adaptations, books, toys, restaurants, and more!
Paramount wants everyone to love being a turtle
“Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles is full of action, humor, and heart, and showcases relationships that have resonated with generations of fans worldwide,” said Paramount’s president of global products & experiences, Josh Silverman. “Continuing the Turtles’ adventures through products and experiences enables consumers to embark on their own journey. Whether it’s watching a movie, wearing a costume, playing with action figures, or reading a book, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles has made an impact not only on people’s lives but on pop culture in ways that few franchises can claim.
He continued, “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.”
TMNT is coming to YouTube
So, what does the new Paramount have planned for the Fab Four? To begin, a 30-episode CG-animated series exploring the early days of Leonardo, Donatello, Michaelangelo, and Raphael, titled Teeny Mutant Ninja Turtles, is on the way. Akin to the Disney+ hit series Spidey and his Amazing Friends, the new series – meant for young children – will air on YouTube, with each episode being roughly four minutes long.
TMNT books are coming to retailers later this year
On the book front, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Splinter’s Dojo, published by Scholastic, will hit shelves, alongside The Last Ronin, hailing from Abrams. Splinter’s Dojo is a Diary of a Wimpy Kid-like page-turner, featuring a story told through a mix of comics panels, artifacts, and text from Dan Abdo and Jason Patterson. Splinter’s Dojo is available at book retailers on September 1st. Meanwhile, the mature, fan-favorite Turtles tale, Last Ronin, is getting a prose adaptation, based on the celebrated IDW graphic novel by Kevin Eastman and Tom Waltz, with art by Esau and Isaac Escorza, Ben Bishop, and Eastman. Sadly, the big-screen adaptation of the story got shelved, but are we surprised? Not in the least. I never believed that movie would see the light of day for a second. Have you read it? It’s dark, twisted, and most of the turtles are dead. Yeah. I don’t know who greenlit an R-rated Turtles movie, but I’m not shocked it got scrapped. The Turtles’ property is too precious for a film about a lone survivor turtle avenging his fallen family. Expect the prose version of Last Ronin on bookstore shelves on June 2nd.
Elsewhere, Mattel plans to unleash an army of toys based on two upcoming film projects, the animated Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem 2 for 2027, and the new untitled Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles live-action/CG animation hybrid in 2028.
TMNT returns to the restaurant game
Finally, Paramount wants to open Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle-themed pizzerias in three locations, including Santa Monica, CA; Monterrey, Mexico; and Sao Paulo, Brazil, later this year. Man, remember when the Turtles would shill for Pizza Hut? Those were the days! We don’t know much about the Turtles restaurant initiative, but if they don’t present the tables as sewer covers, why bother? Get at me, Paramount! I’ve got ideas!
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