The Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles have no single timeline: each cartoon and film series is its own continuity. The easiest start is the 1990 live-action film, then The Secret of the Ooze (1991), Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles III (1993) and TMNT (2007), which continues that story. Mutant Mayhem (2023) and the series Tales of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (2024 to 2025) are the newest run, with Mutant Mayhem 2 due August 13, 2027.
- Titles
- 16
- Films
- 10
- Series
- 6
- Watch time
- 221 hours
- Box office
- $1.33 billion
- Avg IMDb
- 6.5
Ninja Turtles movies in release order
Here is every Ninja Turtles (TMNT) title in the order it came out, 1987 to 2024: 10 films and 6 series. Optional entries are marked; you can skip them on a first watch.
| # | Title | Year | Type | Runtime | IMDb |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles | 1987 | Series | 72h 34m | 7.9 |
| 2 | Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles | 1990 | Film | 1h 33m | 6.8 |
| 3 | Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles II: The Secret of the Ooze | 1991 | Film | 1h 28m | 6.1 |
| 4 | Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles III | 1993 | Film | 1h 35m | 4.8 |
| 5 | Ninja Turtles: The Next Mutation optional | 1997 | Series | 9h 6m | 4.3 |
| 6 | Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles | 2003 | Series | 54h 1m | 7.9 |
| 7 | TMNT | 2007 | Film | 1h 27m | 6.2 |
| 8 | Turtles Forever | 2009 | Film | 1h 13m | 7.6 |
| 9 | Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles | 2012 | Series | 45h 58m | 7.9 |
| 10 | Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles | 2014 | Film | 1h 41m | 5.8 |
| 11 | Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Out of the Shadows | 2016 | Film | 1h 52m | 5.9 |
| 12 | Rise of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles | 2018 | Series | 14h 46m | 6 |
| 13 | Batman vs Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles optional | 2019 | Film | 1h 27m | 7.1 |
| 14 | Rise of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: The Movie | 2022 | Film | 1h 26m | 6.2 |
| 15 | Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem | 2023 | Film | 1h 40m | 7.2 |
| 16 | Tales of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles | 2024 | Series | 8h 56m | 6.9 |
Release or chronological: which order is best?
For Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, release order and story order are the same thing: every series picks up after the one before it. There is no prequel to slot in early and no flashback to reshuffle, so the list above is the only order you need.
Where to start
Start with Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles and go in release order, skipping the 2 optional titles on the first pass.
The essentials are 14 titles and about 210 hours, 5% less than the full run.
The three highest rated: Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (7.9), Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (7.9), and Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (7.9).
Every Ninja Turtles movie, explained
One entry per title in release order: what it is about, why it matters to the bigger story, who is in it and how it did.
No. 01 · 1987 · Series · 72h 34m
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles
Four turtles fall into the sewers and are befriended by Hamato Yoshi a Japanese man sent to New York who was forced to live in the sewers. One day he sees a strange green glow which transforms the four turtles into human-like creatures. Hamato (now Master Splinter) changes into a giant rat from the green glow and teaches the turtles the skills of the ninja as they team up with news reporter April O'Neil to battle against Yoshi's arch enemy Shredder and Krang, an alien warlord from Dimension X.
Why it matters: The cartoon that made the Turtles famous: Krang, Bebop, Rocksteady and pizza across ten seasons.
- Starring
- Cam Clarke, Barry Gordon, and Townsend Coleman
- Scores
- IMDb 7.9
- Episodes
- 193 across 10 seasons
No. 02 · 1990 · Film · 1h 33m
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles
A quartet of humanoid turtles, trained by their mentor in Ninjutsu, must learn to work together to face the menace of Shredder and the Foot Clan.
Why it matters: The live-action film with Jim Henson's creature suits, close to the darker comics; the best place to start.
- Starring
- Brian Tochi, Josh Pais, and Corey Feldman
- Director
- Steve Barron
- Box office
- $202 million on a $14 million budget
- Scores
- IMDb 6.8 · Rotten Tomatoes 46%
No. 03 · 1991 · Film · 1h 28m
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles II: The Secret of the Ooze
The Turtles and the Shredder battle once again, this time for the last cannister of the ooze that created the Turtles, which Shredder wants to create an army of new mutants. Meanwhile Splinter is coming... to a decision.
Why it matters: The direct sequel: Shredder returns with mutants of his own, Tokka and Rahzar.
- Starring
- Brian Tochi, Laurie Faso, and Robbie Rist
- Director
- Michael Pressman
- Box office
- $79 million on a $25 million budget
- Scores
- IMDb 6.1 · Rotten Tomatoes 37%
No. 04 · 1993 · Film · 1h 35m
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles III
The four turtles travel back in time to the days of the legendary and deadly samurai in ancient Japan, where they train to perfect the art of becoming one. The turtles also assist a small village in an uprising.
Why it matters: Ends the original film trilogy with a time-travel trip to feudal Japan.
- Starring
- Brian Tochi, Tim Kelleher, and Corey Feldman
- Director
- Stuart Gillard
- Box office
- $42 million on a $21 million budget
- Scores
- IMDb 4.8 · Rotten Tomatoes 19%
No. 05 · 1997 · Series · 9h 6m · optional
Ninja Turtles: The Next Mutation
Everyone's favorite teenage mutants are back in live action to fight crime with help from a new ninja turtle -- a female named Venus De Milo.
Why it matters: A live-action series with a fifth, female turtle, Venus; separate from the films and easy to skip.
- Starring
- Kirby Morrow, Matt Hill, and Jason Gray-Stanford
- Scores
- IMDb 4.3
- Episodes
- 26
No. 06 · 2003 · Series · 54h 1m
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles
When four pet turtles were bathed in alien ooze, they began to mutate and became the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. Raised in New York City sewers by their foster father and wise sensei, Master Splinter, Leonardo, Michelangelo, Donatello, and Raphael wage war against crime. Led by Master Splinter, the four turtles learn the ancient martial art of Ninjitsu, mastering skills of stealth, weapons, and fighting. They stop evildoers in all forms, whether barbaric gangs, lowlife crooks, deranged cyborgs, or even the crime syndicate The Foot, led by their archrival, The Shredder.
Why it matters: Closer to the original comics than the 1987 show; seven seasons, the last two set in the future and back in the sewers.
- Starring
- Michael Sinterniklaas, Wayne Grayson, and Sam Riegel
- Creator
- Lloyd Goldfine
- Scores
- IMDb 7.9
- Episodes
- 154 across 7 seasons
No. 07 · 2007 · Film · 1h 27m
TMNT
After the defeat of their old arch nemesis, The Shredder, the Turtles have grown apart as a family. Struggling to keep them together, their rat sensei, Splinter, becomes worried when strange things begin to brew in New York City.
Why it matters: A CGI film that continues the live-action trilogy: the brothers have drifted apart after beating Shredder.
- Starring
- Chris Evans, Sarah Michelle Gellar, and Patrick Stewart
- Director
- Kevin Munroe
- Box office
- $96 million on a $34 million budget
- Scores
- IMDb 6.2 · Rotten Tomatoes 35%
No. 08 · 2009 · Film · 1h 13m
Turtles Forever
Whoa, dude! Worlds collide when the Turtles from one dimension meet the Turtles from another dimension! What the shell is going on? The two Turtle teams must work together to find the Technodrome and undo this multi-dimensional mess!
Why it matters: The 2003 Turtles meet the 1987 cartoon Turtles and the original comic versions; best after both shows.
- Starring
- Michael Sinterniklaas, Wayne Grayson, and Sam Riegel
- Director
- Lloyd Goldfine and Roy Burdine
- Scores
- IMDb 7.6
No. 09 · 2012 · Series · 45h 58m
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles
The Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles are back in an all-new animated series on Nickelodeon! Surfacing topside for the first time on their fifteenth birthday, the titular turtles, Leonardo, Michelangelo, Raphael and Donatello, find that life out of the sewers isn't exactly what they thought it would be. Now the turtles must work together as a team to take on new enemies that arise to take over New York City.
Why it matters: Nickelodeon's CGI series: five seasons with the Kraang, Shredder and a long story of its own.
- Starring
- Rob Paulsen, Sean Astin, and Greg Cipes
- Creator
- Ciro Nieli, Joshua Sternin, and Jennifer Ventimilia
- Scores
- IMDb 7.9
- Episodes
- 124 across 5 seasons
No. 10 · 2014 · Film · 1h 41m
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles
When a kingpin threatens New York City, a group of mutated turtle warriors must emerge from the shadows to protect their home.
Why it matters: The Michael Bay produced reboot with Megan Fox as April O'Neil; its own continuity.
- Starring
- Pete Ploszek, Alan Ritchson, and Jeremy Howard
- Director
- Jonathan Liebesman
- Box office
- $485 million on a $125 million budget
- Scores
- IMDb 5.8 · Rotten Tomatoes 20%
No. 11 · 2016 · Film · 1h 52m
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Out of the Shadows
After supervillain Shredder escapes custody, he joins forces with mad scientist Baxter Stockman and two dimwitted henchmen, Bebop and Rocksteady, to unleash a diabolical plan to take over the world. As the Turtles prepare to take on Shredder and his new crew, they find themselves facing an even greater evil with similar intentions: the notorious Krang.
Why it matters: The sequel to the 2014 film, bringing in Bebop, Rocksteady, Krang and Casey Jones.
- Starring
- Pete Ploszek, Alan Ritchson, and Jeremy Howard
- Director
- Dave Green
- Box office
- $246 million on a $135 million budget
- Scores
- IMDb 5.9 · Rotten Tomatoes 38%
No. 12 · 2018 · Series · 14h 46m
Rise of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles
Rise up! The Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles get an all-new look, new weapons, and awesome new powers! Join the legendary heroes, Raph, Leo, Donnie and Mikey as these brothers discover a Hidden City beneath New York, learn amazing mystic ninja skills, battle absurd mutants… and always find time for a slice of their favorite pizza! Cowabunga!
Why it matters: A looser, comedic redesign with Raph as the big brother in charge; two seasons that lead into the Netflix film.
- Starring
- Josh Brener, Ben Schwartz, and Omar Benson Miller
- Creator
- Andy Suriano and Ant Ward
- Scores
- IMDb 6
- Episodes
- 70 across 2 seasons
No. 13 · 2019 · Film · 1h 27m · optional
Batman vs Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles
Batman, Batgirl, and Robin forge an alliance with the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles to fight against the Turtles' sworn enemy, The Shredder, who has apparently teamed up with Ra's Al Ghul and The League of Assassins.
Why it matters: A one-off animated crossover in Gotham City, outside every continuity.
- Starring
- Troy Baker, Eric Bauza, and Darren Criss
- Director
- Jake Castorena
- Scores
- IMDb 7.1 · Rotten Tomatoes 100%
No. 14 · 2022 · Film · 1h 26m
Rise of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: The Movie
When a mysterious stranger arrives from the future with a dire warning, Leo is forced to rise and lead his brothers, Raph, Donnie, and Mikey in a fight to save the world from a terrifying alien species.
Why it matters: Finishes the Rise series with Leo stepping up; watch the show first.
- Starring
- Ben Schwartz, Omar Benson Miller, and Brandon Mychal Smith
- Director
- Andy Suriano and Ant Ward
- Scores
- IMDb 6.2 · Rotten Tomatoes 79%
No. 15 · 2023 · Film · 1h 40m
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem
After years of being sheltered from the human world, the Turtle brothers set out to win the hearts of New Yorkers and be accepted as normal teenagers through heroic acts. Their new friend April O'Neil helps them take on a mysterious crime syndicate, but they soon get in over their heads when an army of mutants is unleashed upon them.
Why it matters: Seth Rogen's reboot with teenage voice actors; starts the newest continuity.
- Starring
- Micah Abbey, Shamon Brown Jr., and Nicolas Cantu
- Director
- Jeff Rowe
- Box office
- $181 million on a $75 million budget
- Scores
- IMDb 7.2 · Rotten Tomatoes 95%
No. 16 · 2024 · Series · 8h 56m
Tales of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles
The Turtles — Leo, Raph, Donnie and Mikey — each will go it alone for the first time. Faced with new threats and teaming up with old allies, the Turtles will discover who they really are when they don’t have their brothers at their sides.
Why it matters: Picks up after Mutant Mayhem: two seasons of the brothers on their own, the second its last.
- Starring
- Micah Abbey, Shamon Brown Jr., and Nicolas Cantu
- Creator
- Christopher L. Yost
- Scores
- IMDb 6.9
- Episodes
- 24 across 2 seasons
Ninja Turtles box office and budgets
The 7 Ninja Turtles films with reported numbers have grossed $1.33 billion worldwide on about $429 million in combined budgets, roughly 3.1 times what they cost. The biggest is Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles at $485 million, 36% of the franchise's total on its own, followed by Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Out of the Shadows ($246 million) and Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles ($202 million).
Measured against what it cost, the best return belongs to Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, which made 15 times its $14 million budget. The weakest was Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Out of the Shadows at 1.8 times its $135 million budget. As a rule of thumb, a film needs about two and a half times its budget at the box office to cover marketing and the theaters' cut.
The best and worst rated Ninja Turtles movies
Across 16 rated titles, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles averages 6.5 on IMDb. The top of the list is Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles at 7.9, then Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (7.9) and Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (7.9). At the bottom: Ninja Turtles: The Next Mutation (4.3) and Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles III (4.8). Money and quality don't line up perfectly: the highest grosser, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, is only the 14th best rated.
- Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles7.9
- Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles7.9
- Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles7.9
- Turtles Forever7.6
- Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem7.2 · RT 95%
- Batman vs Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles7.1 · RT 100%
- Tales of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles6.9
- Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles6.8 · RT 46%
- TMNT6.2 · RT 35%
- Rise of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: The Movie6.2 · RT 79%
Who appears in the most Ninja Turtles movies
Rob Paulsen leads with 3 appearances as Raphael and Donatello, ahead of Brian Tochi (3) and Robbie Rist (3). Counted from each title's top-billed cast.
| Actor | Role | Titles | First and latest |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rob Paulsen | Raphael / Donatello | 3 | Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (1987) to Rise of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: The Movie (2022) |
| Brian Tochi | Leonardo | 3 | Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (1990) to Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles III (1993) |
| Robbie Rist | Michelangelo | 3 | Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (1990) to Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles III (1993) |
| Eric Bauza | Splinter / Leonardo | 3 | Rise of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (2018) to Rise of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: The Movie (2022) |
| Corey Feldman | Donatello | 2 | Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (1990) to Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles III (1993) |
| Elias Koteas | Casey Jones / Whit | 2 | Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (1990) to Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles III (1993) |
| Kevin Clash | Splinter | 2 | Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (1990) to Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles II: The Secret of the Ooze (1991) |
| David McCharen | The Shredder / Oroku Saki | 2 | Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (1990) to Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles II: The Secret of the Ooze (1991) |
| Paige Turco | April O'Neil | 2 | Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles II: The Secret of the Ooze (1991) to Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles III (1993) |
| Michael Sinterniklaas | Leonardo | 2 | Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (2003) to Turtles Forever (2009) |
| Wayne Grayson | Michelangelo | 2 | Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (2003) to Turtles Forever (2009) |
| Sam Riegel | Donatello | 2 | Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (2003) to Turtles Forever (2009) |
Ninja Turtles directors and creators
16 filmmakers have directed or created Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles; Lloyd Goldfine has the most, with 2.
- Lloyd GoldfineTeenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (2003) and Turtles Forever (2009)
- Andy SurianoRise of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (2018) and Rise of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: The Movie (2022)
- Ant WardRise of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (2018) and Rise of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: The Movie (2022)
- Steve BarronTeenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (1990)
- Michael PressmanTeenage Mutant Ninja Turtles II: The Secret of the Ooze (1991)
- Stuart GillardTeenage Mutant Ninja Turtles III (1993)
- Kevin MunroeTMNT (2007)
- Roy BurdineTurtles Forever (2009)
- Ciro NieliTeenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (2012)
- Joshua SterninTeenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (2012)
- Jennifer VentimiliaTeenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (2012)
- Jonathan LiebesmanTeenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (2014)
- Dave GreenTeenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Out of the Shadows (2016)
- Jake CastorenaBatman vs Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (2019)
- Jeff RoweTeenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem (2023)
- Christopher L. YostTales of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (2024)
How long it takes to watch every Ninja Turtles movie
All 16 titles add up to 221 hours: 15 hours of film and 205 hours of series, counting every episode. That is about 111 two-hour evenings, or 23 days of ten-hour binges. The essentials cut it to 210 hours. The longest film is Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Out of the Shadows at 1h 52m.
The 4 best rated films: Turtles Forever, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem, Batman vs Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, and Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles.
Everything takes about 7 months; the essentials about 7 months.
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem 2 is out August 13, 2027. Track what you've watched on the timeline and it counts the hours left.
Which Ninja Turtles movies can you skip?
2 titles can go without losing the main story. They are side stories, spin-offs or entries the later films ignore. Dropping them saves 11 hours.
- Ninja Turtles: The Next Mutation1997 · Series · 9h 6m · optionalA live-action series with a fifth, female turtle, Venus; separate from the films and easy to skip.
- Batman vs Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles2019 · Film · 1h 27m · optionalA one-off animated crossover in Gotham City, outside every continuity.
Upcoming Ninja Turtles movies
- Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem 2August 13, 2027
Common questions
What order should I watch the Ninja Turtles movies in?
The Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles have no single timeline: each cartoon and film series is its own continuity. The easiest start is the 1990 live-action film, then The Secret of the Ooze (1991), Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles III (1993) and TMNT (2007), which continues that story. Mutant Mayhem (2023) and the series Tales of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (2024 to 2025) are the newest run, with Mutant Mayhem 2 due August 13, 2027.
How many Ninja Turtles movies and shows are there?
There are 16 titles in the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles franchise: 10 films and 6 series, released from 1987 to 2024. 1 more is announced: Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem 2.
How long does it take to watch all the Ninja Turtles movies?
About 221 hours for all 16 titles, counting every episode. The essentials only (14 titles) take about 210 hours.
What is the first Ninja Turtles title in chronological order?
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, set in New York and Dimension X. In release order the first is Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (1987).
Which Ninja Turtles titles can I skip?
Ninja Turtles: The Next Mutation and Batman vs Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. They are spin-offs, side stories or non-canon entries; the main story holds without them.
What is the next Ninja Turtles release?
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem 2, out August 13, 2027.
What is the best Ninja Turtles movie?
By IMDb score, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (1987) at 7.9, followed by Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles at 7.9.
What is the highest-grossing Ninja Turtles movie?
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (2014), with $485 million worldwide. Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles films have made $1.33 billion in total.
Who has appeared in the most Ninja Turtles movies?
Rob Paulsen, in 3 of them as Raphael.
What is the longest Ninja Turtles movie?
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Out of the Shadows, at 1h 52m.
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