In the lead up to the upcoming CG-animated film Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem (2023), there's no better time to look back at the history of TMNT in films, television, comic books, video games, and beyond!
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Mirage Comics and Archie Comics
Only diehard TMNT fans will know that the franchise's true origins date back way before the popular 1987 cartoon series. First published under Mirage Comics, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles was a dark and gritty series of stories told entirely in black and white, in which our four main characters didn't even sport their signature colored-headbands, nor were they fans of pizza yet. The comics were later published under Archie Comics, and though they were given a bit of color, there was still something quite mature about these new stories.
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Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles 1987 - 1996
The original Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles cartoon series is often the biggest talking point among TMNT fans, largely because it serves as the basis for most of our childhoods, even if we know that the titular Turtles first started in Kevin Eastman and Peter Laird's gritty comic books. And though the show took a nosedive in quality towards the very end, opting for a darker tone that just didn't stick the landing, it remains as beloved today as it was in its heyday.
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Live-Action Movies 1990 - 1993
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (1990) is the first live-action film in the TMNT franchise (the first film altogether, for that matter). Released during the height of the cartoon's popularity, the film became the most successful independent film of all time, until The Blair Witch Project (1999) was released. Now considered a cult classic, the 1990 film was followed by two sequels, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles II: The Secret of the Ooze (1992) and Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles 3 (1993), neither of which hold a candle to the original.
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem (2023) will be hitting theaters this summer
Ninja Turtles: The Next Mutation 1997 - 1998
Just when you thought the Ninja Turtles couldn't get any cheesier after Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles II: The Secret of the Ooze and Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles 3, along came Ninja Turtles: The Next Mutation (1997), an actual live-action reboot that sort of follows on from the original three films but not really. In hindsight, it's really not that bad, and the hated female Turtle Venus de Milo has recently been re-introduced to the franchise in the IDW Comics.
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles 2003 - 2009
In many ways, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (2003) is a reboot of the original 1987 cartoon - if, of course, you consider a cleaner, glossier, sleeker, and all-round modernized version of its predecessor a reboot. The intro music leaves a lot to be desired on this occasion, but if you're looking for something that's very much in line with the original cartoon from a creative point of view, but with only half the silliness, TMNT 2003 is right up your alley.
TMNT 2007
Like the original 1990 film, TMNT (2007) is now a cult classic that's beloved by fans. Though far from perfect, the CG-animated film captures the Turtles' personalities incredibly well. It's just a shame the story is paper-thin, strange considering everything else around it is three-dimensional. What many fans don't know, though, is that TMNT is actually canon with the first three live-action movies, so much so that it's not really up for debate!
April O'Neil is portrayed as African-American
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles IDW Comics - Ongoing
After decades under Mirage Comics and Archie Comics, TMNT publishing rights eventually fell under IDW. And since 2011, they've been churning out Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles comics in droves, with the main canon series still ongoing, all the while surrounded by a ton of one-shots and off-shoots that would have even the most dedicated collector in a tizzy. But if you're new to IDW's TMNT world, a good place to start would be with "The Last Ronin", a brand-new vision of the franchise that we'll get to a bit further down this list.
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles 2012 - 2017
Though the original 1987 cartoon remains the most beloved animated entry in the franchise, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (2012) is by far the most respected. The CG-animated series is so solid that it's often considered to be the "Star Wars: The Clone Wars" of the TMNT universe by fans - while the animation can at times leave a lot to be desired, it has some seriously solid writing and an array of awesome characters, as well as some multiverse-related adventures.
Related: Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Almost Got R-Rated Reboot With Joe Manganiello
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles 2014 and Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Out of the Shadows 2016
There might be no entry in the long list of TMNT movies that's been quite as controversial as the Michael Bay-produced reboot Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (2014). Following the trailer's debut online, fans were quick to point out how "ugly" the new Turtles were. And though the film did very little to remedy the disappointment, its sequel Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Out of the Shadows (2016) was a vast improvement, even if the reviews and box office numbers don't necessarily say so.
Rise of the TMNT 2018 - 2020
There was a time when fans only really complained about Michael Bay's depiction of the Ninja Turtles, but Nickelodeon's most recent animated series - which also has its own movie on Netflix - really divided fans with its bizarre designs. Rise of the TMNT (2018) is aimed mostly at younger children, and not necessarily fans of the wider franchise. While it's fun all the same, there's something particularly niche about the style of animation and humor on display here.
IDW's Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: The Last Ronin 2020 - Ongoing
IDW's "Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: The Last Ronin" was only released back in 2020, but it has quickly become a beloved entry within the TMNT franchise, as there are already action figures on the shelves, a video game in the works, and follow-up comic books being released. The story follows a lone Ninja Turtle as he tries to navigate a dark, dystopian and futuristic New York City, all the while trying to avenge the deaths of his three fallen Turtle brothers.
Related: Seth Rogen's Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Reboot Gets New Release Date
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem 2023
The Seth Rogen-produced, CG-animated Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem (2023) will be heading to theaters this summer. While a far cry from the dark comic book series "The Last Ronin", the trailer suggests that it's still going to be a ton of fun. And that's the great thing about TMNT - you can enjoy the darker side of the franchise and all the cheese at the same time!
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Video Games
There have been waves of TMNT video games over the decades, but even more recently, the franchise has been dominating the gaming charts, with the retro-style beat 'em up Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Shredder's Revenge (2022) and Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: The Cowabunga Collection (2023). But now, there's a brand-new game in the works based off "The Last Ronin" comic book series, and it's already being compared to the popular Gods of War titles!
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Live-Action Reboot TBA
Yet another Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles movie is in the works. This one, however, will be another live-action installment, and though it's expected to be another reboot, ditching the timeline established in the two previous live-action films from Platinum Dunes, Michael Bay is back on board as producer, working with Saturday Night Live writers and brothers Colin and Casey Jost.
Check out the trailer for Mutant Mayhem below:
Related: Full Cast List and Teaser Revealed For Seth Rogen's Ninja Turtles Reboot
Mutant Mayhem follows Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (1990), Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles II: The Secret of the Ooze (1991), Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles III (1993), TMNT (2007), Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (2014), and Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Out of the Shadows (2016).
As per Wikipedia, here's the plot for the film:
After years of being sheltered from the human world, the Turtles set out to win the hearts of New Yorkers and be accepted as normal teenagers through heroic acts. Their new friend April O'Neil helps them take on a notorious crime syndicate, but they soon get in over their heads when an army of mutants is unleashed upon them.
Related: Where to Watch and Stream Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles III Free Online
It stars Nicolas Cantu (Leonardo), Micah Abbey (Donatello), Shamon Brown Jr. (Michelangelo), Brady Noon (Raphael), Jackie Chan (Splinter), Ayo Edebiri (April O'Neil), Seth Rogen (Bebop), John Cena (Rocksteady), Hannibal Buress (Genghis Frog), Rose Byrne (Leatherhead), Ice Cube (Superfly), Post Malone (Ray Fillet), Paul Rudd (Mondo Gecko), Maya Rudolph (Cynthia Utrom), Natasia Demetriou (Wingnut), and Giancarlo Esposito (Baxter Stockman).
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem (2023) will be released in theaters on August 4, 2023.