The TMNT (Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles) franchise has endured for decades. Kevin Eastman and Peter Laird's 1980s comic book work gave birth to the Heroes in a Half Shell. Leonardo, Raphael, Donatello, and Michelangelo are four anthropomorphic crime-fighting turtles in the series. The Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles were a big hit despite their outlandish premise, leading to a slew of related products such as toys, television series, movies, and video games. The franchise is still popular today, and Seth Rogen is working on a film adaptation of the series. But first, let's take a look back at some of the most memorable Turtles movies of all time.
Ninja Turtles III: Return of the Turtles (1993)
With Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles III, director Michael Bay officially put an end to the first trilogy of TMNT films. According to IMDB, it's still the worst-reviewed Turtles film of all time. When April O'Neil (Paige Turco) and the turtles purchase an antique magic scepter, they go back in time to ancient Japan. The time travel narrative is performed in a foolish manner, despite the franchise's inherent silliness. Changing the method of time travel alone would be an upgrade in a TMNT story, which usually focuses more on odd technology than outright magic.
Weak script and inferior cinematography marred what might have been a terrific picture. Jim Henson’s Creature Shop was responsible for the effects in the first two movies but not the third, resulting to a significant decline in quality.
6. The Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (2014)
The Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles remake film, which premiered in 2014, was immediately met with criticism. Many Transformers fans were disappointed when Michael Bay was selected to create the film, after seeing his perspective on the property. Disappointing were also the designs of the turtles themselves. Faces that resembled those of World's Strongest Man contenders and bodies that resembled adolescent crime-fighters were a far cry from what they seemed to be. Even if it wasn't a terrible film, TMNT fans have a wealth of better alternatives.
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: The Movie (2016)
Out of the Shadows had a higher rating from critics than its 2014 predecessor, but its box office performance was far less impressive. The third film in the reboot series was planned, but it was scrapped following the second film's failure. The Krang, Bebop and Rocksteady, and Baxter Stockman are just a few of the many beloved characters appearing in Out of the Shadows. Overall, the film is a disappointment. In this version, the action is fast-paced and the tone is lighter, but the plot is still convoluted, and the turtles remain unsightly.
"The Secret of the Ooze" from Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle II (1991)
After Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles in 1990, a sequel called The Secret of the Ooze was made. It follows the Turtles as they fight Shredder and the Rahzar and Tokka mutant beasts in this movie. While its predecessor was gritty, Ooze takes a more whimsical approach. If you're an adult who didn't grow up with the film, you may not get as much out of it as you would if you were a child. However, if you're a fan of Vanilla Ice and cheesy '90s pop, you'll like the movie.
TMNT is number four (2007)
Since the previous Turtles film had been released 14 years earlier, the announcement of TMNT in 2007 was met with much excitement. It was going to be the first Turtles feature entirely done in computer-generated imagery, and it is still the only one. Breaking with tradition, the Turtles are seen living on their own in TMNT. Donatello becomes an IT consultant after defeating Shredder; Mikey becomes a birthday party magician; Leonardo moves to Central America for training; and Raphael becomes a vigilante on his own after the team's victory against the villain. But when evil strikes again, the brothers must put their differences aside and work together to preserve the planet. Despite the film's darker tone, it is a very enjoyable and unusual Turtles adventure. This film is a must-see for every lover of the turtles.
In the third Batman vs. Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles battle (2019)
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles fans may have missed this. Comic book heroes Batman and the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles team together in this 2019 DTV crossover. Bats and the Ninja Turtles join forces to combat Ra's al Ghul and the League of Assassins in this action-adventure flick. You won't be able to put the movie down since it seamlessly combines the two series. There are no holds barred in the combat sequences, which is why the picture was given a PG-13 classification. The film Batman vs. TMNT earned overwhelmingly positive reviews from both reviewers and moviegoers alike, with Rotten Tomatoes giving it a perfect score of 100 percent. Do yourself a favor and see this movie if you're a fan of the Turtles or Batman.
2. The Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (1990)
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles was the Turtles' debut appearance on the big screen. Jim Henson's Creature Shop was contracted by filmmaker Steve Barron to bring Leo, Raph, Donny and Mikey to life. However, Henson said that the Turtles were the most complex animals he had ever worked on, yet he still managed to produce some amazing results .'s Even though The Heroes in a Half Shell came out better than anybody could have anticipated, it was Henson's last production before his death.
Along with its fantastic costumes, the picture offers a wonderful tale replete with wacky humor and action-packed scenes that have inspired many succeeding TMNT films. It was a box office hit despite a mixed reception from reviewers. Until The Blair Witch Project surpassed it in 1999, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles was the highest grossing independent film, earning $202 million on a $13.5 million budget.
Turtles will always be a part of my life (2009)
Turtles Forever was released in 2009. Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Out of the Shadows is a celebration of the franchise and a love letter to its devoted followers. There is an amazing interplay between the ninja characters from 1987, 2003, and Mirage comic books in this epic crossover. Everything about this film is fantastic: the characters' relationships, the storyline, the fighting, and the visuals. This is a must-see film for fans of any age of the Turtles.
Ninja Turtles III: Return of the Turtles (1993)
With Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles III, director Michael Bay officially put an end to the first trilogy of TMNT films. According to IMDB, it's still the worst-reviewed Turtles film of all time. When April O'Neil (Paige Turco) and the turtles purchase an antique magic scepter, they go back in time to ancient Japan. The time travel narrative is performed in a foolish manner, despite the franchise's inherent silliness. Changing the method of time travel alone would be an upgrade in a TMNT story, which usually focuses more on odd technology than outright magic.
Weak script and inferior cinematography marred what might have been a terrific picture. Jim Henson’s Creature Shop was responsible for the effects in the first two movies but not the third, resulting to a significant decline in quality.
6. The Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (2014)
The Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles remake film, which premiered in 2014, was immediately met with criticism. Many Transformers fans were disappointed when Michael Bay was selected to create the film, after seeing his perspective on the property. Disappointing were also the designs of the turtles themselves. Faces that resembled those of World's Strongest Man contenders and bodies that resembled adolescent crime-fighters were a far cry from what they seemed to be. Even if it wasn't a terrible film, TMNT fans have a wealth of better alternatives.
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: The Movie (2016)
Out of the Shadows had a higher rating from critics than its 2014 predecessor, but its box office performance was far less impressive. The third film in the reboot series was planned, but it was scrapped following the second film's failure. The Krang, Bebop and Rocksteady, and Baxter Stockman are just a few of the many beloved characters appearing in Out of the Shadows. Overall, the film is a disappointment. In this version, the action is fast-paced and the tone is lighter, but the plot is still convoluted, and the turtles remain unsightly.
"The Secret of the Ooze" from Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle II (1991)
After Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles in 1990, a sequel called The Secret of the Ooze was made. It follows the Turtles as they fight Shredder and the Rahzar and Tokka mutant beasts in this movie. While its predecessor was gritty, Ooze takes a more whimsical approach. If you're an adult who didn't grow up with the film, you may not get as much out of it as you would if you were a child. However, if you're a fan of Vanilla Ice and cheesy '90s pop, you'll like the movie.
TMNT is number four (2007)
Since the previous Turtles film had been released 14 years earlier, the announcement of TMNT in 2007 was met with much excitement. It was going to be the first Turtles feature entirely done in computer-generated imagery, and it is still the only one. Breaking with tradition, the Turtles are seen living on their own in TMNT. Donatello becomes an IT consultant after defeating Shredder; Mikey becomes a birthday party magician; Leonardo moves to Central America for training; and Raphael becomes a vigilante on his own after the team's victory against the villain. But when evil strikes again, the brothers must put their differences aside and work together to preserve the planet. Despite the film's darker tone, it is a very enjoyable and unusual Turtles adventure. This film is a must-see for every lover of the turtles.
In the third Batman vs. Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles battle (2019)
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles fans may have missed this. Comic book heroes Batman and the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles team together in this 2019 DTV crossover. Bats and the Ninja Turtles join forces to combat Ra's al Ghul and the League of Assassins in this action-adventure flick. You won't be able to put the movie down since it seamlessly combines the two series. There are no holds barred in the combat sequences, which is why the picture was given a PG-13 classification. The film Batman vs. TMNT earned overwhelmingly positive reviews from both reviewers and moviegoers alike, with Rotten Tomatoes giving it a perfect score of 100 percent. Do yourself a favor and see this movie if you're a fan of the Turtles or Batman.
2. The Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (1990)
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles was the Turtles' debut appearance on the big screen. Jim Henson's Creature Shop was contracted by filmmaker Steve Barron to bring Leo, Raph, Donny and Mikey to life. However, Henson said that the Turtles were the most complex animals he had ever worked on, yet he still managed to produce some amazing results .'s Even though The Heroes in a Half Shell came out better than anybody could have anticipated, it was Henson's last production before his death.
Along with its fantastic costumes, the picture offers a wonderful tale replete with wacky humor and action-packed scenes that have inspired many succeeding TMNT films. It was a box office hit despite a mixed reception from reviewers. Until The Blair Witch Project surpassed it in 1999, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles was the highest grossing independent film, earning $202 million on a $13.5 million budget.
Turtles will always be a part of my life (2009)
Turtles Forever was released in 2009. Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Out of the Shadows is a celebration of the franchise and a love letter to its devoted followers. There is an amazing interplay between the ninja characters from 1987, 2003, and Mirage comic books in this epic crossover. Everything about this film is fantastic: the characters' relationships, the storyline, the fighting, and the visuals. This is a must-see film for fans of any age of the Turtles.
