Paramount Pictures is moving ahead with the development of a new Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (TMNT) live-action film, following months of speculation over whether the project would materialize. Doubts trailed the studio after the review bombing of the 2014 film of the same name and the moderate box office performance of its 2016 sequel, Out of the Shadows.
Despite earlier concerns, the franchise is expanding once again, with the new film scheduled for a global theatrical release on November 17, 2028. While the title, plot, and cast remain under wraps, Neal H. Moritz, known for steering blockbuster franchises like Fast and Furious, Sonic, and Jump Street, is set to produce.
The Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Leonardo, Michelangelo, Donatello, and Raphael originated as comic book characters created by Kevin Eastman and Peter Laird in 1984. Their serialized rise in popularity transformed the property into a sprawling multimedia empire, spanning merchandise, video games, animated series, and feature films. Collectively, the franchise has turned into a billion-dollar goldmine, with the films alone grossing $1.3 billion to date.
Eight theatrical films have featured the beloved brother quartet, with Paramount Pictures responsible for three and planning a fourth in 2027. The 2014 Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles reboot was a commercial hit, earning $485 million worldwide. Its 2016 follow-up, Out of the Shadows, saw a more modest box office run with $245.6 million.
Before the next live-action chapter arrives, the turtles will return to cinemas in 2027 through an upcoming animated feature produced by Seth Rogen, Point Grey, Evan Goldberg, James Weaver, Josh Fagen, and Ramsay McBean. The film will serve as a sequel to the Annie Award-nominated Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem, released in 2023.
Paramount Pictures is also expanding its other major franchises, with new Sonic and Top Gun films expected in 2028 and 2026 respectively—the latter marking the franchise’s 40th anniversary with Tom Cruise returning.