Every Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Movie Ranked, Worst To Best

Here’s a comprehensive list of every Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles movie, ranked from worst to best. The amphibious crime fighters have been battling evil for nearly 35 years, beginning with an animated series in 1987. Since then, the Turtles have become a cultural phenomenon, spawning numerous tv shows, movies, video games, and more.

The Turtles were mutated by radioactive sludge, effectively turning them into humanoid creatures. They were raised in the sewers of New York City by Master Splinter, a rat with extensive knowledge of martial arts. Each of the four turtles is named after a famous Renaissance artist and given signifying colors and weapons befitting their respective personalities.

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles has been a dominant force in entertainment since its inception. There have been four separate tv shows, running for a combined 23 of the last 35 years. But despite the overwhelming success of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles shows, the franchise has had something of a mixed experience in film.

8. Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles III (1993)

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles III is the lowest-rated film in the franchise by a somewhat substantial margin. After purchasing an ancient scepter that allows the holder to effectively travel through time, reporter April O’Neil is suddenly transported to 16th century Japan. The Turtles follow her back in time to find she has been captured by the villainous Lord Norinaga, forcing them to team up with a group of rebels in order to save April and return home. A different company handled the animatronics than in previous films. In addition, Raphael’s voice actor was replaced, and the writing was lackluster, making it certainly the most forgettable in the series.

7. Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (2014)

Over 20 years after the original trilogy ended, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (2014) returns to form with a mix of animated and live-action elements. The story shows the Turtles’ origin story and establishes Shredder as their nemesis, rebooting the version from 1990. The 2014 adaptation was given the Transformers treatment, introducing a sense of modern grittiness that isn’t necessarily associated with the source material. The Turtles are massive and imposing, and the action is more intense than is normal for the series, landing the film a PG-13 rating. The attempt at modernizing the franchise winds up feeling forced and misses out on much of the charm of the original series.

6. Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles II: The Secret of the Ooze (1991)

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles II: The Secret of the Ooze is the second installment of the original 1990 live-action trilogy. Shredder has gotten his hands on the same radioactive ooze that mutated the Turtles. When it becomes clear that Shredder intends to use the last of the ooze on himself, the Turtles must band together what is sure to become their most powerful adversary to date. Although The Secret of the Ooze is certainly more enjoyable than the third film, it fails to live up to the standards of the original. The story and dialogue are blatantly geared toward children in such a way that makes it difficult to watch as any other demographic.

5. Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Out of the Shadows (2016)

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Out of the Shadows is a sequel to the 2016 live-action reboot of the franchise. After Shredder escapes custody, the Turtles must work together to stop their arch-nemesis and his new team of evildoers. The sequel does a better job of navigating the source material than its predecessor, introducing iconic characters like Casey Jones and Krang. While the film’s tone is still somewhat off, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Out of the Shadows’ efforts to appeal to fans’ sense of nostalgia make it a more enjoyable experience than the first movie.

4. Batman vs. Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (2019)

Batman vs. Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles is a direct-to-video crossover event between the DC and Turtles universes. Shredder has teamed up with Ra’s al Ghul and his League of Assassins, so Batman enlists the Turtles to help him take on their respective foes. Although it is obviously different from the rest of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles movies, the film is surprisingly successful at merging the two cinematic universes. The slightly more intense violence still landed the film a PG-13 rating, but the parallels between The Foot and The League of Assassins make for a unique and compelling story.

3. TMNT (2007)

TMNT is a 3D animated theatrical release that takes place later in the series’ timeline, beginning well after the Turtles first donned their colored masks. The Turtles have gone their separate ways, each of them taking on new endeavors as individuals. But when an ancient evil threatens the fate of the world, the Turtles must put aside their differences and reunite to battle a timeless foe. TMNT is stylistically and thematically unique, achieving the grittier tone that other films in the series struggled with while maintaining a PG rating.

2. Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (1990)

The 1990’s live-action Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles is the first in the franchise, released only three years after the premiere of the original animated series. The film covers much of the Turtles’ formative years, from their mutation to their training with Master Splinter and the origins of their conflict with Shredder. The animatronics for the Turtles were provided by the Jim Henson Company, giving the characters the iconic style that defined a generation of cinema. With its campy tone and nostalgic aesthetic, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles does an excellent job of capturing the spirit of the cartoon.

1. Turtles Forever (2009)

Turtles Forever is a TV movie with the style and cast of the 2003 Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles animated series that revitalized the franchise. When dimensions collide, the Turtles come face to face with the classic cartoon versions of themselves. But the evil Shredder has hatched a plan with his dimensional counterpart, so both teams of Turtles must band together to save their respective realms. Turtles Forever mixes modernization with tradition, integrating classic characters and elements into a newer, slightly grittier format. Mixing the styles of both Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles series appeals to multiple generations of fans while still maintaining a sense of originality that makes the film worth watching.

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