Every Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Movie Ranked

Since the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles made their debut in the 1980s, the franchise built on a joke between friends has become a cultural juggernaut. In one of the quickest evolutions in pop culture history, the TMNT went from gritty indie comic parody to playground favorite supported by toys and cartoons. Though fans might argue in favor of other story’s told in the series, the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles have never been more popular than when they’re on the big screen. Not only have there been multiple movies simply titled “Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles,” the series has made movie history more than once. With seven theatrically released Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles movies, and an eighth produced for Netflix, we’ve broken the series down and ranked all eight TMNT films. 

Which one of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles movies is your favorite?

#8 Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles III

Despite a handful of pretty good jokes, the third Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles movie is far and away the worst one ever made. A nonsensical story (even by TMNT standards) and a complete sidelining of Elias Koteas as Casey Jones are already cardinal sins, but then when you add that the practical Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles suits themselves look terrible and cheap, you get the bottom of the barrel. 

#7 – Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (2014)

Fundamentally the problem with the 2014 reboot of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles is its inability to figure out what it wants to be. Is it a new film for young fans? Is it a Michael Bay-style reinvention of the property to appeal to teens? It tries to be both things and manages to fail by doing so. The new Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles also look awful, with overly busy designs that do little to show off their personalities beyond just color-coordinated masks. Also, why did they hire Johnny Knoxville to do the voice for Leonardo? It’s just one of many confounding elements that will leave you scratching your head.

#6 – Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Out of the Shadows

In many ways, the 2016 sequel Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Out of the Shadows suffers from the same pratfalls that the 1990 sequel had as well, a hard pivot to a different tone in order to have a younger appeal which resulted in a lackluster product. There are instances however where the madcap stylings show a glimmer of personality, the tragedy of course is that the garish designs for the turtles from the first movie are back. Throughout the film the same energy of the original animated series is present in bursts, which may be either exciting or grating depending on your mileage. 

#5 – TMNT (2007)

Though the film has one of the best scenes from any Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles movie with a big screen fight between Raphael and Leonardo, there’s not much else that it has going for it. The animated style for the film was dated by the time it was released, and time has largely not been kind to the look of the film one the whole. Thanks to dull versions of the Turtles’ personalities and some villains that are completely unmemorable, this one has to fall short of some of its fellow TMNT movies.

#4 – Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles II: The Secret of the Ooze

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles II: The Secret of the Ooze is an immediate downgrade from the film that came before it, but it’s not so drastic that it’s unwatchable, just notable to a large degree. What this sequel lacks in some inherent traits of the TMNT it makes up for with charm. Though the turtles themselves almost never even use their weapons, instead using cold cuts, toys, blankets, and doughnuts to do their fighting, the core four remain recognizable as characters. Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles II: The Secret of the Ooze is not a “good movie,” but most conventional metrics, but Turtle fans with an interest in some good jokes and practical effects do have a lot to like. 

#3 – Rise of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: The Movie

The continuation of the animated series manages one thing much better than other Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles follow-ups as it manages to tell a contained story that feels complete, even with dangling carryover from what happened before it. Rise of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: The Movie not only features a radical re-invention of the TMNT lore in unique, fun ways, but also an animation style that feels like a singular work of pop art. There is one primary reason that this one isn’t higher on the list though and it’s because it never quite hits the high marks that other movies have managed, it’s always good but never great.

#2 – Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (1990)

The original movie that kickstarted the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles into the mainstream remains one of the best pieces of media in the entire franchise. Combining the unbeatable practical suits created by Jim Henson’s Creature Shop with a tone closer to the original Mirage comics than the original cartoon series made way for a unique movie in the larger lexicon of TMNT, and one that continues to endure.  Plus, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles still has one of the best movie posters of all-time. 

#1 – Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem

This isn’t just a case of the new thing being the best thing, it’s actually true. Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem not only fully captures the spirit and essence of the TMNT franchise at large, but does so with a wholly unique animation style that sets it apart from not only the rest of the series but nearly every other animated movie. Director Jeff Rowe gas created an instantly iconic version of the heroes that stands above most of the other attempts on the big screen. The heart, the humor, and the characters are all there in ways that are recognizable, satisfying, and fresh.