It is fitting that a story literally about turtles from the sewers becoming superheroes would come from humble origins and grow to do amazing things. Initially starting as a comic book series published by Mirage Studios, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles was picked up for an animated series in 1987 and would rapidly grow from there as one of American media's most beloved icons.
Blending its inherent silliness with great action, there has been a little bit of everything coming from Master Splinter's disciples, and they've managed to develop an entire media empire that doesn't seem to be stopping anytime soon. With more than a dozen different projects between film and TV alone, there's a lot to go back and enjoy if anyone's in the mood for some half-shell heroism.
Updated on July 28th, 2022 by Tanner Fox: A staple of comic book storytelling since the mid-80s, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles is one of the unorthodox yet relentlessly appealing properties perhaps of all time. Starring in more than a dozen animated and live-action movies and television series, the Heroes in a Half Shell have powered through some ups and downs, remaining as relevant as ever decades after debuting.
At the moment, the franchise is in a bit of a tough spot; Nickelodeon's Rise of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles was not well received, and the Michael Bay movies became notorious flops. Still, there's more than enough great TMNT content out there for fans to experience.
Ninja Turtles: The Next Mutation - 4.4
Saban Entertainment is the same studio that adapted the Japanese superhero series Super Sentai—among other Japanese shows Saban adapted—into what many children and children at heart know today as the Mighty Morphin Power Rangers. Given that franchise's propensity for having people in colorful costumes do awesome backflips, it makes sense that they'd also try to adapt the Ninja Turtles for a live-action world.
What ensued was Ninja Turtles: The Next Mutation, a surreal adaptation that now lives in infamy as one of the strangest looking adaptations that almost explicitly ignores a few of the franchise's most treasured traits.
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles III - 4.8
Given that the idea of kung fu turtles is already plenty novel within its own right, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles III really pushed the franchise by having them jump through time.
In one of their strangest adventures yet, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles III sees the live-action turtles battle samurai and mystical forces in 17th Century Japan. If for nothing else, the last of the original live-action TMNT trilogy is worth a watch for some of the series' most distinct and ambitious costume and set designs yet.
Rise Of The Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles - 5.5
Rise of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles is the latest incarnation of the franchise to appear on television, but it's struggled to find its footing in the wake of replacing one of the most beloved cartoon versions of the modern day.
Adapted with entirely new looks and abilities, Rise of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles turns Master Splinter into an old movie star and has the four try to collect pieces of a magical set of armor. It's a classic formula for any action-adventure cartoon, though it didn't help one of the most unique versions of the Ninja Turtles reach more viewers—and it was inevitably canceled.
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (2014) - 5.8
Seeing how divisive Michael Bay's adaptation of Transformers has been, there weren't a lot of high hopes for his version of the Ninja turtles. When Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles was released, its hyper-realistic CG was met with quite a bit of animosity from fans.
However, Bay's over-the-top action blended well with the turtles' almost-abrasive personalities and attracted a large audience who were pleasantly surprised by how the film paid homage to the original '80s cartoon. The same sadly can't be said for Michael Bay's adaptation of Transformers.
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Legend Of The Supermutants - 5.9
It was only a matter of time before the Ninja Turtles would become adapted into an anime, albeit a direct-to-video one that was intended first and foremost to new toys.
These specials had the turtles run through a variety of anime tropes such as combining together ancient spirits and plenty of action. Though obscure, these specials showcased a rare and well-produced opportunity to bring the turtles to their Japanese inspirations.
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles II - The Secret Of The Ooze - 6.0
The Secret of the Ooze was a continuation of the first film that became a breakout hit in 1990. It also doubled as a tribute to Jim Henson, who died the year prior and whose Creature Shop helped design the live-action Ninja Turtles.
The film itself was an interesting look at the turtles' origins as they prepped to fight a returning Shredder. While still a classic Ninja Turtles movie, The Secret of the Ooze did hold back its action sequences and tone to appeal to wider audiences.
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Out Of The Shadows - 6.0
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Out of the Shadows doubled down on the nostalgia from the previous film by throwing in even more series staples such as Casey Jones and the evil Krang.
While the writing, tone, and action sequences had improved, Out of the Shadows failed to meet box office expectations and was the nail in the coffin for Michael Bay's time with the franchise. Only time will tell if Seth Rogen's new movie will do the story justice—if that movie ever sees the light of day.
TMNT - 6.2
Before Michael Bay stepped in, there was another CG adaptation of the Ninja Turtles that was simply called TMNT. A rough continuation of the original live-action trilogy, TMNT showed a dark, distant future for the four brothers who have separated after their last fight with Shredder.
An intense, strong return to form released more than a decade after the conclusion of the old trilogy, TMNT is an entertaining and underrated outing monster that could've spawned even more stories in this universe.
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: The Movie - 6.8
As a result of the rising success of their '80s animated series, the turtles really hit mainstream success when they came to the big screen for the first time. Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: The Movie dazzled audiences in 1990 with their first look at Jim Henson's interpretation of the four as well as another classic battle between the turtles and the Foot Clan.
This movie set both a cultural precedent for the franchise as well as a financial one, as it would end up being one of the highest-grossing independent films of the '90s.
Batman vs. Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles - 7.1
While Batman is far from being the most powerful or visually spectacular superhero, fans just love seeing him fight their favorite franchise villains and heroes. He's fought Superman, Captain America, Dracula, the Predator, and even Elmer Fudd.
With much weirder comic book arcs under his bat belt, Batman would have another classic bout when he went up against the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. As part of the rising line of DC Animated films, Warner Bros. Animation collaborated with Nickelodeon to see who would win among the modern-day ninjas.
