Summary
According toTeenage Mutant Ninja Turtleswriter Tom Waltz, it would be a major “Cowabunga moment” for fans of the franchiseto have the actress who portrayed April O’Neil in the 1990 live-action movie involved in the adaptation ofThe Last Ronin.With the groundbreaking miniseries serving as the jumping off point for several different projects, the possibility could very well be actualized in the near future.
In an exclusive interview with Screen Rant, Waltz cited the desire to involve actress Judith Hoag inThe Last Roninin some capacity. The author,whose contributions toNinja Turtleshave been pivotalin the franchise’s recent renaissance, specifically called out the adaptation of his andco-author Kevin Eastman’salternate continuity series as a project he’d like the actress to be part of.
Hoag played April early in her iconic film and television career, and a return to the franchise would be a perfect full circle moment for both her and theNinja Turtles.
For much of theNinja Turtlesaudience, [Judith] Hoag’s portrayal of April had a formative impact on their attachment to the series.
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Ninja Turtles Writer “Dreams” Of Judith Hoag’s Return To The Franchise"
Tom Waltz Suggests Actress Could Join “Last Ronin” Adaptation
The Last Roninis an alternate continuityNinja Turtlesstory, which depicts a grim future in which Michelangelo is the last surviving Turtle, out to avenge the deaths of his brothers. The series was a major reinvention for the classic franchise, and has resulted ina surge of popularity forNinja Turtles.
Currently,Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: The Last Roninhas two adaptations in the works; both a video game andan R-rated live-action versionof the story are in production. As Tom Waltz told Screen Rant:
My dream is for the lovely and talented Judith Hoag to be a part of something we do in other media for THE LAST RONIN.
While Waltz' comment leaves the door wide open for how Hoag might appear in aLast Roninadaptation, he makes it unequivocally clear how meaningful it would be, both to him personally, and to theNinja Turtlesfanbase at large. Immediately, Hoag’s inclusion in the adaptation vaulted to the top of fans' wishlist for the project.
While the possibility remains that Judith Hoag could reprise her role as April O’Neil from thirty-four years ago in a live-actionLast Roninmovie, she could also return in some other capacity.WhatNinja Turtlesfans hope for is a substantial role for the actress, rather than just a cameo for the sake of it. For much of theNinja Turtlesaudience, Hoag’s portrayal of April had a formative impact on their attachment to the series, and her involvement with the franchise to some degree or another remains an exciting prospect.
While it is only speculation for now, the creators ofNinja Turtlesacross all different mediums should take note of fans' appetite for Judith Hoag’s appearance in a futureTeenage Mutant Ninja Turtlesproject.
Hoag’s Return To Ninja Turtles Would Be A Great Nostalgia Boost
A “Cowabunga” Moment
Hoag had a cameo in 2016’sTeenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Out of the Shadows, intwo scenes that were ultimately cutfrom the film. Many fans hope that if she returns to the franchise once more, it will be in a more pivotal role.
“Talk about what a “Cowabunga!” moment that would be for TMNT fans, am I right?!“Tom Waltz said of the possibility thataLast Roninadaptationcould bring Judith Hoag back to the franchise. Even if she were to lend her voice to a role in the video game iteration of the story,Hoag being involved would add something special to the experience.While it is only speculation for now, the creators ofNinja Turtlesacross all different mediums should take note of fans' appetite for Judith Hoag’s appearance in a futureTeenage Mutant Ninja Turtlesproject.
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (TMNT) is a multi-media franchise that began with Kevin Eastman and Peter Laird’s comics in the 1980s. Throughout the years, their comic books expanded to movies, TV shows, video games, and toys. Most notably, the animated Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles ran for nearly a decade and has become a nostalgic staple of the ‘80s and ‘90s. Several other movies have featured the four anthropomorphic turtle brothers (Leonardo, Michelangelo, Donatello, and Raphael), including the trilogy of live-action films in the ‘90s and the more recent movies Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles and its sequel Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Out of the Shadows.
