Why IDW’s Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Run Deserves to Inspire the Next TMNT Movie
When fans think of Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, they often think of the 1980s cartoon, the early ’90s live-action trilogy, or even the 2014–2016 reboot films. But the deepest and most character-driven storytelling for the TMNT in recent years has come not from the screen — but from the pages of IDW Publishing’s Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles comics. Since 2011, IDW’s ongoing series and its spinoffs have built an expansive, mature universe that explores loyalty, family, honor, and the blurred line between hero and monster. And if Paramount, Nickelodeon, or Seth Rogen’s TMNT reboot team ever wanted to make the most emotionally powerful and mythic Ninja Turtles film yet, they’d find everything they need in IDW’s TMNT universe. 1. Leonardo: The Fallen Chunin and Foot Clan Warrior One of IDW’s most compelling storylines sees Leonardo fall under the influence of the Shredder and the Foot Clan. Manipulated and brainwashed, Leonardo becomes Shredder’s Chunin — a lieutenant and successo...
