“The Last Ronin,” one of the more wildly popular “Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles” comic books in recent memory, which was briefly developed as an R-rated, live-action feature at Paramount, will get a new extension when prequel comic “TMNT: The First Ronin” hits comic book store shelves in March 2027.
The comic book hails from creator Stan Sakai and Bram Stoker Award-winning artist Soo Lee and looks to honor the “legacy of the chart-topping triumph” that was “The Last Ronin.” The series “transports readers to 1600s Japan as the fearsome warrior and tactician General Kameyama is facing impossible odds in a great war. When his allies fall and he becomes the last man standing, the tide swiftly changes when four yōkai – supernatural creatures and monsters from Japanese folklore – who resemble humanoid turtles leap to his aid and defeat his foes. But Kameyama’s battle is far from over as the epic yōkai war approaches…,” according to the official synopsis.
The new series promises to be a showcase of “Sakai’s unforgettable impact on the medium, presenting new character designs, writing, page layouts and an entirely new mythology from his rich imagination” and will be combined with Lee’s “astonishing artwork.”
“As you may know, I have been a huge fan of the ‘Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles’ since 1984 when both the Turtles and Usagi made their debut,” Sakai shared in a Thursday statement. “I enjoyed all of their incarnations, including ‘The Last Ronin,’ so I am really excited to be writing ‘The First Ronin.’ It will have new variations of the Turtles, not mutants this time but yōkai. That is just one of the surprises in store.”
“I am so excited and honored to be a part of this new installment of the ‘TMNT’ universe. And to be working with the comic legend, Stan Sakai, is an absolute dream come true,” Lee echoed. “If there ever was a ‘TMNT’ story that I would want to draw, this spin on the Turtles team is it. We’re adding a new vision and lore to the already beloved gang so I hope the fans will welcome this new journey and enjoy the adventure with us.”
“Thanks to the exceptional work of Kevin Eastman, Peter Laird and the full creative team, ‘The Last Ronin’ is an undeniable pop culture phenomenon,” IDW CEO Davidi Jonas added. “Expanding on its legacy, especially with new creators, is not something we take lightly. But if there’s one person up to the task, it’s living legend Stan Sakai. Along with the amazing artist Soo Lee, we are absolutely blown away by the story they’re crafting. It’s sure to keep fans guessing until the final issue.”
“The Last Ronin” was a five-issue comic book series published between 2020 and 2022, written by original “Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles” co-creator Eastman and Tom Waltz, based on an outline that Eastman had cooked up with fellow co-creator Peter Laird back in 1987. It is set in the future, in an alternate “TMNT” timeline, with Michaelangelo the last remaining turtle as he decides to track down and kill Shredder’s grandson. Notable for its markedly darker tone and nihilistic ending, it was, nonetheless, a critical and commercial smash. It inspired two more series (“The Last Ronin – Lost Years” and “The Last Ronin II – Re-Evolution” in 2023 and ’24), while a novelization was released earlier this year and a video game is in the works. There was also, of course, tons of merchandise.
In 2024, a movie adaptation of “The Last Ronin” was announced, with Walter Hamada producing, Tyler Burton Smith writing and Ilya Naishuller directing. The movie would have been an R-rated, live-action adaptation, complementing the more family-friendly “Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem” sequel (which is still set for release next year). By 2025, Paramount had decided to install Neal Moritz, who oversees the studio’s popular “Sonic the Hedgehog” franchise, to instead reboot “TMNT” and plans for “The Last Ronin” were quietly canceled.
In addition to “The First Ronin,” “TMNT: The Last Ronin III – Return for New York,” the final chapter in the series, will be released from Eastman, Waltz, the Escorza Brothers, Ben Bishop and Luis Antonio Delgado. More details will come in the next few months.
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