According to Inside the Magic, a new Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles movie is in development that could introduce the franchise's first LGBTQ+ Ninja Turtle — a move that would mark a significant milestone for a property that has been entertaining audiences since the late 1980s.
Why This Changes the Casting Conversation
For decades, the four brothers — Leonardo, Raphael, Donatello, and Michelangelo — have been defined by their color-coded personalities and pizza obsessions. Introducing an LGBTQ+ character into that core dynamic, whether as a fifth turtle, a reimagined version of an existing one, or an entirely new figure, opens up a genuinely exciting casting conversation. Representation matters both on screen and behind the microphone, and whoever lands this role will need the range to handle both the action-comedy energy that defines the franchise and the emotional authenticity that makes a character feel real.
That means the fancasting community has serious work to do. Who has the voice, the charisma, and the credibility to make history in the Turtle universe?
What myCast Fans Are Already Saying
The TMNT fancasting community on myCast is already active across multiple stories, and the picks give us a strong sense of where fan enthusiasm lives — even before this specific role entered the picture.
Over on the sprawling Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles fan cast with 121 roles, voice acting legends are dominating the conversation. Johnny Yong Bosch leads the pack as Leonardo with 6 votes, while Robbie Daymond has claimed Michelangelo with 5 votes and Josh Keaton holds Donatello with 5 votes as well. This story leans heavily into the franchise's rich voice acting history, and any LGBTQ+ turtle introduced here would fit right into that tradition of casting performers who bring serious animation credibility.
The vibe shifts considerably in the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles story, where fans have gone full live-action blockbuster energy. leads as Michelangelo with 4 votes, commands Raphael with 4 votes, and has 3 votes locked in for April O'Neil. If the new film leans into that same star-powered, theatrical approach, a fifth or reimagined turtle played by someone with Holland or Jordan's generational appeal would make enormous sense. Meanwhile, the third story — — shows fans rallying around as Shredder with 5 votes and as Master Splinter with 4 votes, rounding out a dream ensemble that already feels like it has room for one more shell.