The Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles have been a mainstay in popular culture for more than 30 years and is one of the highest-grossing media franchises of all time. The characters, created by Kevin Eastman and Peter Laird in 1984, have appeared in graphic novels, television, musicals, movies, toys, and so much more. After their initial comic book introduction, it took only three years before the Turtles found themselves as the stars of a 1987 animated television series, paving the way for TMNT to become a bit more kid-friendly and globally successful.
This late 1980s cartoon may have been the first televised Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles media, but it would not be the last. Three live-action films were released in the 1990s, and two more would follow in 2014 and 2016. Additionally, a live-action show titled TMNT: The Next Mutation was launched in 1997. Furthermore, animated TMNT reboots were released in 2003, 2012, and 2018, with the latter receiving its own direct to television film in 2022. Finally, the Ninja Turtles have also been included in several team-up films and TV shows, with the animated film Batman vs. Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles released in 2019 and an episode of Power Rangers in Space called "Shellshock."
When looking back at the reception of these thirteen iterations of the turtles and determining which is best, one will find a prominent trend: the animated versions of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles are dominantly superior to their live-action counterparts. Simply put, Ninja Turtles should stay away from live-action for the time being. The following list will discuss 10 reasons for this, as live-action simply has not been good enough, with one exception - the first live-action or animated Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles film to be released, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (1990).
The 1990 Film was the First and the Best of All
In the midst of the massive success of the late 1980s cartoon and its equally popular toy line, TMNT saw its first major motion picture release in 1990, simply titled Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. The costumes, storyline, cast, musical score, and feel of this movie have not been topped in the thirty-plus years of TMNT content seen since its release, and while an animated feature such as Mutant Mayhem may better the 1990 movie in terms of visuals and style, it is difficult to imagine a live-action movie ever topping this one.
One could even go so far as to say that the 1990 Ninja Turtles film is a top-10 superhero movie of all-time, and certainly one of the most underrated. The movie's sequels did not come close to matching the spirit and design of the first (the third is barely watchable), and the Michael Bay-produced films in 2014 and 2016 were akin to that of the Transformers film series, with overly designed costumes, crude humor, and a lack of positive energy among the reptilian brothers.
All Animated TMNT Films Have Been Great
Why fix what is not broken? The 2007 release of TMNT was not a box office smash like the studio had hoped for, but the movie holds up quite well today as an entertaining tale about four brothers struggling to find their place among one another and the world. The unfortunate timing of the release (alongside 300 and followed by Meet the Robinsons and Blades of Glory) should not be a reflection of the movie's quality.
The 2022 Rise of the TMNT version was able to tell a solid story while delivering a new take on the characters, and was a direct release to Netflix. Mutant Mayhem (2023) is an obvious masterpiece and is the best iteration of TMNT since the 1990 film, and its commercial and critical success are of no surprise.
Get Away with Gravity Defying Movements, Battles, Etc.
Could a live action version of TMNT (or of any movie) convincingly pull off an Akira Bike Slide? The Dark Knight somewhat tried to with the spinning wheels on Batman's Tumbler Bat-Bike, but outside of that, the answer is most likely "no." With an animated feature, the rules of gravity and other laws of physics can be bent and broken, and in a way that still grounds the film if the creators so choose (or not)! The cost, effort, and execution of pulling such feats off in a live-action movie are risky, as these three categories are each entirely separate from one another and must come together in sync or the movie will lose that necessary sense of grounded, wonder.
Comic Book Characters are Better Replicated in Animation
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This list item and the prior could be combined into one, as it is usually superhero/comic book characters that are making such gravity-defying movements and gestures. It doesn't end at replicating movements, however. The costumes and character design are so much simpler a task if they are drawn, as textures, CGI, practical effects, costumes, and lighting are not needed to be perfected before any filming begins.
For example, take a look at 2014's character designs. While they are certainly wonderful achievements in technology, they don't look or feel real at any point in time. That is a rather large problem for a movie's main characters to have, and removes interest from many general audience members.
Standard for Modern Movies is Too High
Similarly to their issues of design, texture, and shading CGI characters, modern producers must deliver a high-quality live-action film in all aspects. The cornball (but near-perfect) costumes of the 1990 film simply would not pass with modern audiences. The slow pacing would not fly, either.
The musical score of the new movie has to either be trendy or evoke deep emotion (and probably a Hans Zimmer-esque bass) to real in those who would otherwise be "bored." In an animated feature, the pacing can always appear to be fast if the design is as such. Again, Mutant Mayhem is a wonderful example of this, as well as introducing a soundtrack that works in a cartoon-world.
Budget Requirement Is Too High
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These days, it seems as if most headlines about theatrical releases are about their current box office take. The number of bombs has only multiplied in the last decade as costs have gone through the roof. Animation can be expensive, however, it typically reaches a peak after $70-100 million. Is that still a crazy amount? Yes. But compared to a modern superhero film's $200-500 million dollar budget, it is actually quite reasonable for an intellectual property as popular as Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (again, please look to Mutant Mayhem for future guidance TMNT creatives).
Nostalgia is Better in Animation
Spider-Man: No Way Home could have been retitled Spider-Man: Nostalgia. The movie had a thin plot but featured many characters that audiences know, love, and remember. Unfortunately, this did not make it a good movie, but rather a mess of forced plot points and mischaracterization (we are looking at you, Dr. Strange). Star Wars: Obi-Wan Kenobi featured scenes with Ewan McGregor and Hayden Christensen as their 2002 Attack of the Clones versions of Obi-Wan Kenobi and Anakin Skywalker, respectively.
Again, this did not save the quality of the show, rather, it presented an odd release of belief and immersion from the show, as the two have clearly aged in the twenty years that passed between the releases. In an animated feature, one doesn't have to pay an actor so much money just to show up for twenty minutes that the whole script needs a change to justify the cost. Instead, the character can be featured however long required by the plot and then leave, with a fraction of the cost.
This also spares viewers from goofy deep-fakes or off-kilter versions of beloved characters (although Christensen's return as Anakin is so much more important than in-universe logic and should be celebrated in part).
Doesn't Have to be a Theatrical Release
Rise of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, released in 2022, was not a theatrical release. However, it was still a quality ending to the show and works well as a stand-alone feature, too. Batman vs. Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles can boast the exact same resume. These movies did not have the immense pressure and demand of a box office release, and one can tell that they were still given the time and love required to make a quality movie. Because of the nature of a live-action TMNT film, going straight to streaming does not seem like a realistic choice, and would more than likely lead to a lackluster film with a lower budget and smaller production period.
Mainstream Animated Superhero Movies are Back
The Incredibles, Big Hero 6, Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse, and Megamind are some of the best movies to come out in the 21st century, and they are all animated superhero flicks. The Incredibles 2, The LEGO Batman Movie, Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse, and DC League of Super-Pets are also some of the more note-worthy animation successes in the genre to have a theatrical release. Among these movies, five have come out within the last five years (not to mention TMNT: Mutant Mayhem).
These movies are the answer to "superhero fatigue," as they can breathe new life into a live-action genre that has been dying for years now. Some of the best animated superhero movies in the last decade haven't even received a theatrical release, but should have. Don't believe me? Watch a few DC animated films on MAX and you will.
TMNT Live-Action Peaked
The hill is simply too steep. Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (in live-action form) peaked in 1990, and that is okay. The multiple cartoon series and films have proven there is no need to turn back. Not every piece of intellectual property needs such an adaptation. The world does not require another The Next Mutation disaster. Producers need to go back to what gives audiences the most movie magic. In the case of TNMT, that is in animation.
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