All 7 Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Movies in Order
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles are among the most popular fictional characters ever created. Four turtle brothers: Leonardo, Donatello, Raphael, and Michelangelo, are anthropomorphic turtles and martial arts experts that protect New York City from villains. Throughout the years, there have been many adaptations of these characters on the big screen, and in this article, you can find information about Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles movies in order.
How many Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles movies are there?
There are seven Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles movies. The franchise started with the release of ‘Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles’ in 1990, and what followed were several installments and reboots. The latest entry to the franchise was released in 2023, under the name ‘Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem.’ The franchise mixed live-action movies as well as computer-animated movies in the same continuity.
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles movies in order – at a glance
Fourteen years after the original release of the first TMNT movie, the franchise got a reboot. In 2014, the ‘Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles’ movie was released and started the new franchise, as its sequel followed two years later, in 2016. These are Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles movies in order of their release:
- ‘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)
- ‘Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Out Of The Shadows’ (2016)
- ‘Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem’ (2023)
Are Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles movies connected? Do you need to watch them in a specific order?
The original Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles franchise is connected as the movies follow the same characters, and the storyline adds up between the movies. However, the original movies are not connected with the rebooted ones. The reboot movies are connected separately from the first trilogy. The modern franchise is connected through characters and the storyline as well.
You can watch each of these Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles movies as stand-alone movies, and you will surely be entertained. But, to get the full experience of these movies, you should watch them by their release date. If you are not interested in watching the original trilogy, it is advisable that you watch the modern installments by their release order.
What is the best way to watch Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles movies?
The best way to watch Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles movies is in order of their release. If you decide to watch the original movies from the 90s, then start with the first ‘Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles’ movie, then ‘Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles II: The Secret Of The Ooze,’ and then ‘Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles III.’ After that, you should watch the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles movie from 2014 and then its sequel, ‘Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Out Of The Shadows from 2016.’ It is unnecessary to watch the first three movies from the 90s if you do not want to, but if you wish to watch them all, this is the best way.
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles movies in order by release date
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles movies are released as follows:
1. ‘Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles’ (1990)
The movie follows four mutant turtles, Leonardo, Donatello, Raphael, and Michelangelo. Their mentor, a mutated rat named Splinter, trained them to be expert martial artists from a young age, so they could defend themselves and others when needed. So, when Shredder wants to control the whole city, TMNT confronts him while also learning who he is and what he did to Master Splinter in the past.
2. ‘Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles II: The Secret Of The Ooze’ (1991)
In the sequel, Shredder returns, and he plans to use the remaining chemical tube that mutates the turtles against them. The movies also provide a more thorough origin story about how the TMNT came to be. Ninja Turtles have to face new enemies that work under Shredder’s command.
3. ‘Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles III’ (1993)
In the franchise’s third installment, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles time travel back to 16th century Japan where they have to help overpower the evil Emperor. The golden scepter brought them back in time, and they have to face the new enemies who consider Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles as monsters and wish to destroy them using cannons.
4.’TMNT‘ (2007)
In ancient times, warlord Yaotl opens a portal to gain immortality and petrifies his generals. The portal unleashes thirteen immortal monsters that have wreaked havoc over the centuries. In the present, the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles have grown apart, pursuing different paths, but reunite to confront the reanimated generals and prevent the monsters from causing further destruction as they face their old enemy, now known as wealthy tycoon Max Winters.
5. ‘Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles’ (2014)
In this reboot of the original franchise, we get to see a modern version of TMNT secretly battling bad guys and protecting the city. However, when April O’Neil becomes aware of their existence, they befriend her, and their relationship with humans gradually starts. Shredder is back in his modernized armor, and TMNT has to give their best in order to stop him.
6. ‘Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Out Of The Shadows’ (2016)
After TMNT defeated Shredder, they continued to live anonymously and did not take credit for taking him down. However, Shredder escapes and is on a mission to assemble the teleportation device. The Turtles also find a potential way to make themselves human, and it leads to confrontation between brothers.
7.’Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem’ (2023)
The latest TMNT movie was released recently; it’s the seventh installment in the franchise and yet another reboot that further complicates the chronology. Fifteen years ago, Cynthia Utrom of the TCRI hunted down rogue scientist Baxter Stockman, causing an explosion that dropped the mutagen into the sewers of New York City. In the present, the mutant turtle brothers, raised by their rat father, Splinter, long to live as normal high schoolers and be accepted as heroes.
They team up with a mutant gang led by Superfly, who plans to use the stolen TCRI technology to mutate all wildlife and enslave humanity, leading to a confrontation between the two groups.
Where to watch Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles movies?
You can watch the original Teenage Mutant movies like ‘Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles’ (1990), ‘Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles II: The Secret Of The Ooze’ (1991), and ‘Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles III’ (1993) on HBO Max. The rebooted franchise ‘Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles’ (2014) and ‘Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Out Of The Shadows’ (2016) are available to watch on the Paramount+ streaming platform. ‘Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem’ (2023) is so far available only in theaters, but after it’s 45 days theatrical window, it will be released on Paramount+.
Will there be more Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles movies?
Following the release of ‘Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem’ it’s been confirmed that a sequel animated movie and a 2D animated television series focusing on the turtles are currently being developed for Paramount+. The future seems bright for the franchise. Rowe will return to direct the sequel movie, with Point Grey producing both the movie and the series.
