Summary

• Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem
  released in 2023 and featured a teenage version of the turtle heroes and an underground world of mutants.
• The Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles
  have a rich history, from their comic book origins to their numerous TV series and movies spanning over 35 years.
• The franchise includes classic adaptations like the 1990 live-action film and the popular 2003 animated series, as well as newer takes such as the 2014 and 2016 live-action movies and the 2018 animated series,
  Rise of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles.

While the franchise is somewhat lacking when it comes to having a cohesive continuity, the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles movies in order show how the world’s favorite heroes in a half-shell have continually adapted themselves to stay relevant throughout the decades. From the pages of comic books to the big screen, Earth’s favorite crime-fighting anthropomorphic turtles love only one thing more than ridding the world of scum: pizza. Named after famous painters from the Italian Renaissance, these four sewer-dwelling, skateboarding heroes have appeared in a multitude of TV series and films over the years.

Michelangelo, Donatello, Raphael, and Leonardo all maintain distinct personalities, but they share the same origin story. After being exposed to a toxic mutagen underneath New York City, these normal reptiles quickly evolved into human-sized martial arts experts. With the help of their sensei, Splinter, and a journalist named April O’Neil, the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles keep the universe’s evil forces at bay. Thirty-five years after their first television appearance, there are many Teenage Mutant Nina Turtles movies and TV shows involving the heroes in a half-shell.

17 Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (1987 – 1996)

10 Seasons, 193 Episodes

The very first screen adaptation of the TMNT is the cartoon classic that arrived in 1987, a syndicated series that ran for 10 seasons and includes seven special broadcasts. The show was a classic Saturday morning cartoon that an entire generation of kids grew up loving and that offered a kid-friendly introduction to the Ninja Turtles. It is this version of the Ninja Turtles that remains the most iconic as far as their character designs go, and also the iteration that spawned the incredibly lucrative range of toys and action figures that helped buoy the franchise.

The show focuses on the TMNT’s relationship with April O’Neil, Splinter, and their mortal enemy, Shredder.

While it veers somewhat from its source material — the Mirage comic book series by Kevin Eastman and Peter Laird — it easily surpassed the popularity of the on-page iteration and the 1987 cartoon propelled Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles to its status as a household name. The show focuses on the TMNT’s relationship with April O’Neil, Splinter, and their mortal enemy, Shredder. The series predates the first live-action movie by three years, and is arguably the reason the movie got optioned in the first place.

16 Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (1990)

The First Live-Action Movie For The TMNT

The next significant TMNT project was the live-action 1990 movie Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. Thanks to the popularity of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles cartoon and its correlated line of toys, Jim Henson’s Creature Shop brought the Turtles to the big screen with some TMNT live-action suits that recreated the classic heroes much to the thrill of young fans.

The first live-action Ninja Turtles movie sees the TMNT crew crossing paths with Shredderand his Foot Clan while also meeting April. Despite its poor critical reception, the movie was a major box office success, becoming one of the most successful independent movies of all time. The voice cast included the likes of Gremlins and The Goonies star Corey Feldman, which helped buoy ticket sales. Elias Koteas, who would later go on to play Dominic Palladino in The Sopranos and Al in Chicago P.D., also made an early career appearance as the live-action Casey Jones.

15 Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles II: The Secret Of The Ooze (1991)

The 1991 Sequel To The Original TMNT Movie

The second Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles movie, 1991’s The Secret of the Ooze, capitalized on the success of the original and attempted to spin the live-action iteration into a fully fledged sequel. The sequel is less violent than its predecessor. Instead of weapons, the Turtles spend more time fighting using bare-fisted martial arts techniques. It also provides more backstory into the origins of the Turtles and Splinter while introducing Shredder’s nefarious associates, Tokka and Rahzar.

A common criticism was that the leaning away from action and violence in favor of comedy was a misguided move for the franchise.

Perhaps the charm of seeing the turtles brought to life was fading for audiences as the sequel was a step-down, as Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles II: The Secret Of The Ooze was far less successful than its predecessor. A common criticism was that the leaning away from action and violence in favor of comedy was a misguided move for the franchise. This criticism wasn’t universal though, and some critics praised the movie for this same decision. The second live-action TMNT movie also featured a cameo from Vanilla Ice and wrestler Kevin Nash as the mutated Super Shredder.

14 Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles III (1993)

The Final Release In The Original TMNT Movie Trilogy

The third and final film in the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles‘ original theatrical run was 1993’s Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles III, which was also live-action. Like the previous movie, this sequel uses the All Effects Company for the Turtles instead of Jim Henson’s Creature Shop. Due to this and the lower budget, the designs of the turtles feel a lot less convincing, which contributed in part to the dwindling interest compared to the 1990 original.

Considered the worst in the original line of films, TMNT III follows the Turtles on a time-traveling trip to feudal Japan, where they rub elbows with samurai and make both new friends and enemies. In the 2014 documentary Turtle Power, the creators of the original comic books Peter Laird and Kevin Eastman spoke on the live-action trilogy, and while they were less-than-complimentary about the third installment, they conceded that it was at least better than The Secret of the Ooze. As Kevin Eastman explained:

What we tried to do with the third movie was to make it as good of a story as we could. We went through a painstaking level of do’s and don’ts, what they could and couldn’t do. We wanted something that would be good for all ages again. I call movie one the best, movie two the worst, and movie three halfway in between.

13 Mutant Turtles: Superman Legend (1996)

1 Season, 2 Episodes

Released in conjunction with a new line of toys, Mutant Turtles is a two-part Japanese special. The episodes recast the Turtles as next-level superheroes fighting a troop of extra-powerful supervillains led by Shredder. They gain these additional abilities with the help of a spirit trapped inside a magical MutaStone. The Japanese adaptation — known as Myūtanto Tātoruzu: Chōjin Densetsu-hen in the original language — is one of the most obscure entries in the entire Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles franchise, and also perhaps the one that strays most from the source material.

The majority of the voice cast for the Japanese dub also returned for
Mutant Turtles: Superman Legend.

Mutant Turtles: Superman Legend wasn’t the introduction of the TMNT to Japanese audiences, as the original 1987 cartoon had received its own Japanese language dub. The majority of the voice cast for the Japanese dub also returned for Mutant Turtles: Superman Legend, including notable voice actor Hideyuki Umezu, who also appeared in Mobile Suit Gundam ZZ and Bravoman, in which he had the titular role.

12 Ninja Turtles: The Next Mutation (1997 – 1998)

1 Season, 26 Episodes

With the hugely successful 1987 animated cartoon and the three live-action films under its belt, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles returned to TV in 1997, this time for the live-action series Ninja Turtles: The Next Mutation. The Next Mutation picks up where the movies leave off. The TMNTs meet a female Turtle, Venus de Milo, as well as a new villain: Dragonlord. Venus was an intriguing character and represented an interesting new direction for the franchise, paving the way for the new turtles introduced in future projects such as Jennika and Lita in the IDW comics.

The low budget of Ninja Turtles: The Next Mutation definitely hampered its success, as the cheap costumes are distracting. However, it is a fun and overlooked addition to the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles legacy that fans of the franchise will want to check out. It also represents one of the most experimental entries in the TMNT franchise, favoring the introduction of new characters and villains as opposed to rehashing the same classic formula of the Turtles fighting Shredder ad-infinitum.

11 Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (2003 – 2009)

7 Seasons, 155 Episodes

Fox originally aired the second animated TMNT series, simply titled Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, which ran for seven seasons between 2003 and 2009. The cartoon’s style and plot are more in line with the original Mirage comics, ignoring many of the family-friendly changes in the films. As was common in the late 1990s and early 2000s, the second Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles cartoon was something of a “gritty reboot”, leaning into the popularity of anime and other more mature animated kids shows that had gained popularity in the years since the 1987 original.

Just like
The Next Mutation
before it, the second
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles
animated show also introduced many more story elements, characters, and villains.

The 2003 Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles show deals with more adult themes, even venturing into science fiction and fantasy territory. Despite the tone change, the series continued to capture the spirit of these characters and the humor that audiences have come to expect. The result is a solid cartoon that served as a new generation’s introduction to this franchise. Just like The Next Mutation before it, the second Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles animated show also introduced many more story elements, characters, and villains.

10 TMNT (2007)

The First Big-Budget TMNT Blockbuster Movie

In 2007, the Turtles returned to the big screen with the CGI film TMNT. The fourth Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles movie featured voice work from some of some big names, including Chris Evans, Sarah Michelle Gellar, and Patrick Stewart. In TMNT, the Turtles have fallen out after defeating Shredder once and for all, but they join forces again in NYC where a new evil threatens humanity.

The new updated look of the Ninja Turtles in TMNT showed how long these characters had been around and that they were changing with the styles of the day. The redesign definitely worked in the franchise’s favor, as the art style was a notable element that critics praised. Full of action and campy one-liners, TMNT did very well in theaters, ranking number one at the box office on its opening weekend and beating out the likes of 300 and The Hills Have Eyes 2.

9 Turtles Forever (2009)

The TV Movie Based On The 2003 Animated Series

The legacy of the Ninja Turtles can certainly be seen by how many young fans through the years are drawn to the franchise and its success after decades in pop culture was acknowledged in this fun adventure — and of all the entries in the franchise’s canon, 2009’s Turtles Forever is the movie that capitalizes on this legacy the most. Turtles Forever is a made-for-TV movie that celebrates the 25th anniversary of the franchise. Produced by 4Kids Entertainment, it also serves as the finale for the 2003 Fox series.

Long before multiverse movies like
The Flash
used legacy casting, this combining of timelines was a thrill for fans.

In the film, the Turtles discover they have doppelgångers, “imposters” who turn out to be the original 1987 gang. The two groups work together to understand how their worlds have combined as one enemy after another pursues them and their special mutagen. Long before multiverse movies like The Flash used legacy casting, this combining of timelines was a thrill for fans.

8 Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (2012 – 2017)

5 Seasons, 124 Episodes

After acquiring the rights to the Turtles, Nickelodeon launched the 2012 CGI Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles series that lasted for five seasons. Designed to look like an anime, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles focuses more on the Kraang’s mutagen than other entries in the franchise, and April O’Neil returns, but this time in teenage form. The next jump in animation style for the Ninja Turtles continued to prove that audiences were willing to follow them throughout all these new looks so long as the essence of what makes their characters great was maintained.

However, what perhaps makes the 2012 Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles show so notable was the voice cast. Leonardo was voiced by American Pie’s Jason Biggs until season 2, to be replaced by Seth Green of Family Guy and Buffy the Vampire Slayer fame. What’s more, Raphael was voiced by Sean Astin, better known as Samwise Gamgee in The Lord of the Rings and Bob in season 2 of Stranger Things. Finally, in a nod to the franchise’s origins, Donatello was voiced by Rob Paulsen, who previously starred in the original 1987 cartoon as Raphael.

7 Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (2014)

The First Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Summer Blockbuster

Over a decade after the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles experimented with live action movies, the heroes in a half-shell returned to the “real world” for a cinematic adventure in this 2014 blockbuster movie. After Michael Bay’s Transformers movies, he decided to produce a new take on another 1980s nostalgic property with the live-action reboot of Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. Megan Fox stars as journalist April O’Neil, who follows the Turtles through the sewers and streets of New York City.

While the 2014 movie wasn’t as well received as expected, the more realistic look of the Ninja Turtles themselves definitely suited the live-action medium far more than the cheaper costumes of some previous entries.

In another technological step that the characters have been through, the Turtles themselves are brought to life thanks to motion-capture technology. It was the first time the Ninja Turtles headlined a summer blockbuster, and the advancements in technology since the original live-action run definitely helped. While the 2014 movie wasn’t as well received as expected, the more realistic look of the Ninja Turtles themselves definitely suited the live-action medium far more than the cheaper costumes of some previous entries.

6 Half-Shell Heroes: Blast To The Past (2015)

An Animated Movie Released By Nickelodeon

A movie-length special released by Nickelodeon while its Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles series aired, the Turtles travel back to the Cretaceous period in Blast to the Past. Once there, they are forced to deal with new enemies from the days of dinosaurs. The film came in conjunction with a fresh line of dinosaur toys from Playmates. The cast was surprisingly impressive given the nature of the project, with Seth Green, Sean Astin, Rob Paulsen, and voice-acting legend Greg Cipes returning to reprise their roles from the 2012 series.

The cuter design of the characters is aimed more at younger audiences, returning the franchise to a family-friendly vibe that was not present in the Bay-produced live-action movies. Half-Shell Heroes: Blast to the Past featured the return of Bebop and Rocksteady as villains, alongside the Triceratons, a race of villainous dinosaurs who first appeared in the 2012 CGI Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles series.

5 Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Out Of The Shadows (2016)

The Sequel To The 2014 Live-Action TMNT Movie

2016 saw the arrival of the sequel to the 2014 TMNT movie, Michael Bay’s Turtles and Megan Fox returned for another martial arts-inspired romp in Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Out of the Shadows. In the second movie, which was directed by Dave Green with Bay serving as a producer, Shredder escapes custody and works with a mad scientist to take over the world.

While
Out of the Shadows
did little to expand the franchise, it was notable for including Tyler Perry in the cast as Baxter Stockman.

The sequel introduces a variety of elements from the franchise that were missing from the first movie, including Krang, Beebop, Rocksteady, and Baxter Stockman. This follow-up was a box-office bomb, prompting Nickelodeon Movies to scrap a third movie and end plans to create a new trilogy of live-action TMNT movies. To date, this is the last live-action Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles movie. While Out of the Shadows did little to expand the franchise, it was notable for including Tyler Perry in the cast as Baxter Stockman.

4 Rise Of The Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (2018-2020)

2 Seasons, 39 Episodes

A lighter and more comedic series, Rise of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles is Nickelodeon’s second cartoon. Two seasons aired between 2018 and 2020, and it reimagines the Turtles and their adventures in NYC complete with a new artistic style and overall tone. Leonardo, Raphael, Donatello, and Raphael all gain new clothing and designs that individualize them beyond the simple differences in weaponary and bandana color.

Rise of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles also introduced new weapons and new abilities for the heroes in a half-shell, though it didn’t forget its franchise roots. The second Nickelodeon animated series featured the familiar cast of characters, such as Shredder, April, and Splinter. As with many modern reinventions of classic franchises, the response to Rise of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles was mixed, with older fans hesitant to accept the change in direction, while younger viewers being introduced to TMNT for the first time warmed to this version of the characters.

3 Batman Vs. Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles

Released In 2019

Despite their strange origins, the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles have managed to grow into a massive fixture of pop culture to the extent that they have earned the right to share the screen with one of the most beloved heroes in pop culture. The only TMNT crossover, Batman vs. Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles sees the Caped Crusader requesting help from the Turtles in Gotham City. The plot of Batman Vs. Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles did a surprisingly good job of cohesively mixing the two universes without having to rely on a multiverse or a similar narrative trick.

Batgirl and Robin also make appearances in this direct-to-video feature, as do animalized versions of iconic
Batman
villains like Mr. Freeze and The Joker.

It turns out Shredder has joined forces with one of Batman’s classic villains, Ra’s al Ghul, with the latter planning to use the Mutagen to turn the League of Assassins (and the rest of Gotham City) into animal hybrids. In exchange, Ra’s will grant Shredder immortality using the Lazarus pit. Batgirl and Robin also make appearances in this direct-to-video feature, as do animalized versions of iconic Batman villains like Mr. Freeze and The Joker.

2 Rise Of The Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: The Movie (2022)

A Movie Based Off The 2018 TMNT Series

Rise of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: The Movie arrived on Netflix in 2022 to continue the story from the 2018 series of the same name. The movie brought back the cast of Rise of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles and picks up two years after they defeated Shredder. This time around, the story follows Leonardo as the leader of the Turtles as he has to save the world from the alien villains called the Krang.

Introducing multiple members of Krang’s race was definitely an interesting choice, and one that upped the stakes for the TMNT. The 2022 movie also started with a flash-forward to the year 2044 after the Krang’s invasion, with the only surviving turtles being Leonardo and Michelangelo. The opening is surprisingly emotional in the opening sequence too, as the last remaining TMNT members sacrifice their lives to send Casey Jones (played by Haley Joel Osment of The Sixth Sense fame) back to the present day to prevent the invasion before it can start.

1 Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem (2023)

The 2023 Theatrical Animated Movie From Seth Rogen

A brand-new TMNT movie arrived in 2023 with Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem by Seth Rogen and Evan Goldberg. In addition to the new art style and hip-hop inspired soundtrack, Mutant Mayhem was also notable for actually depicting the turtle heroes as teenagers, with the cast being the same age or similar to their characters. This was perhaps the first iteration of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles within which the TMNT actually felt like teenagers, with their initial aspirations simply being to attend high-school on the surface and live a normal life.

Mutant Mayhem
was a bold new direction for the
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles
franchise, and it definitely paid off.

However, while the Ninja Turtles initially only have their martial arts training to protect them from humans (who Splinter believes are all evil and not to be trusted), it’s not long before they have to save the day. While fighting crime in New York City and meeting April O’Neil, the turtles discover an underground world of other mutants. Among them is Superfly (played by Ice Cube), who plans to mutate every animal on the planet and wipe out humanity for good. Mutant Mayhem was a bold new direction for the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles franchise, and it definitely paid off.

A TV spin-off of
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem
is due to arrive on Paramount+ in 2024, with the original cast reprising their roles.