How Do I Watch Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles In Order?
If you are getting started with the TMNT franchise, you may be asking: How do I watch Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles in order?
Do you remember shouting Kowabunga! in the playground? Did you wonder if there were mutants living in the sewers?
The Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles were a huge part of our childhood, and many fans want to go back and check out the shows and movies in chronological order.
Whether you discovered the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles today or remember the shows from your childhood, watching this content in order can be a satisfying task.
Many kids discover the more recent cartoon, and you want to go back and discover the bodacious adventures of the heroes in a half shell.
Other kids of the 1980s want to relive their childhood and check out the cool action of the TMNT that they missed the first time round.
Table of Contents
What Is The Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Chronological Order?
The Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (TMNT) franchise has several iterations, each with their own continuity. Here’s a chronological order for the main versions of the TMNT:
- Original comics (1984-1995)
- Original cartoon series (1987-1996)
- Original live-action movies (1990, 1991, 1993)
- Next Mutation live-action series (1997-1998)
- 2k3 cartoon series (2003-2009)
- Live-action movie reboot (2007, 2014, 2016)
- 2012 cartoon series (2012-2017)
- Rise of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles cartoon series (2018-2020)
- TMNT: The Last Ronin comic series (2021)
It’s worth noting that the comics, animated series and movies have different continuity, some of them are not canon to the main story.
Lets look closer at each Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles show, movie and comic series in order.
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Original Comics (1984-1995)
The Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (TMNT) original comics were created by Kevin Eastman and Peter Laird and were first published in 1984 by Mirage Studios.
The comics were an instant success and quickly gained a cult following. The comics were known for their dark and gritty tone and dealt with mature themes such as violence and drug abuse.
The comics followed the story of four teenage turtles, Leonardo, Raphael, Michelangelo, and Donatello, who were mutated by a strange ooze and trained in the art of Ninjutsu by their sensei, a mutated rat named Master Splinter.
Together, the turtles fought crime in New York City, often against their arch-nemesis, the Shredder, leader of the Foot Clan, a criminal organization.
The comics also introduce other memorable characters like April O’Neil, a news reporter who becomes friends with the turtles, Casey Jones, a vigilante who becomes an ally of the turtles and the rival of Raphael, and Baxter Stockman, a scientist who becomes a villain.
The original comics ran for 10 issues until 1995 and was followed by several spin-offs, miniseries, and one-shots.
The comics have been credited with popularizing the franchise and helping to launch the franchise’s success in other media such as the animated series, movies, and toy lines.
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Original Cartoon Series (1987-1996)
The Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (TMNT) original cartoon series, also known as the “1987 cartoon,” was an animated television series based on the original comics created by Kevin Eastman and Peter Laird.
The series was produced by Murakami-Wolf-Swenson and aired on the children’s cable network Nickelodeon from 1987 to 1996.
The cartoon series followed the same basic premise as the comics, with four mutated turtles named Leonardo, Raphael, Michelangelo, and Donatello, who were trained in Ninjutsu by their sensei, Master Splinter.
The turtles fought crime in New York City with their main adversary being the Shredder, leader of the Foot Clan, a criminal organization.
The cartoon series, however, had a more light-hearted and comedic tone compared to the comics and was aimed at a younger audience.
The series also introduced several new characters, such as the recurring villain Krang, an alien warlord from Dimension X, and the recurring ally Casey Jones, a vigilante.
The show ran for 10 seasons, with a total of 193 episodes, and also produced several spin-off shows like “The Adventures of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles,” “Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: The Next Mutation” and “Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Fast Forward”
The original cartoon series was a huge success and played a major role in popularizing the franchise and introducing it to a wider audience.
It was also responsible for many merchandise like toys, video games, and clothing, making it one of the most popular and recognizable franchises of the late 20th century.
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Original Live-action Movies (1990, 1991, 1993)
The Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (TMNT) original live-action movies were a series of three feature films produced by New Line Cinema and released in the early 1990s.
These movies are based on the popular Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles comic book series created by Kevin Eastman and Peter Laird.
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (1990)
The first movie, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (1990) directed by Steve Barron, was a critical and commercial success and grossed over $200 million worldwide.
The movie follows the turtles as they team up with April O’Neil, a television reporter, to stop Shredder and his Foot Clan from taking over New York City.
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles II: The Secret of the Ooze
The second movie, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles II: The Secret of the Ooze (1991) directed by Michael Pressman, grossed $78 million worldwide.
The movie follows the turtles as they try to stop Shredder from creating a new breed of mutants.
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles III (1993)
The third movie, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles III (1993) directed by Stuart Gillard, grossed $42 million worldwide.
The movie follows the turtles as they travel back in time to feudal Japan to rescue April and confront Shredder.
All three movies feature the turtles, Leonardo, Raphael, Michelangelo, and Donatello, being portrayed by actors in rubber suits, with their faces being portrayed by voice actors in the first movie, and a combination of live-action and CGI in the second and third movies.
The movies were well-received by audiences, but were criticized for their lack of faithfulness to the source material and for the quality of special effects. Despite this, the movies were major box office success and helped to further popularize the franchise.
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Next Mutation Live-action Series (1997-1998)
The Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: The Next Mutation is a live-action television series next in chronological order that aired from 1997 to 1998.
The series was produced by Saban Entertainment and aired on the Fox Kids network.
The series is a spin-off from the original Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles live-action movies, and it is set in the same continuity.
It features the return of the four turtles, Leonardo, Raphael, Michelangelo, and Donatello, who continue to fight crime in New York City, with the help of April O’Neil, a television reporter.
The series also introduces a new turtle, Venus de Milo, a female turtle who was thought to be a myth.
The series was not well received by fans and critics, being criticized for poor writing, weak acting, and a lack of faithfulness to the source material.
The series also faced competition from the existing cartoon series, which was still airing at the time and had a larger fanbase.
The series ran for 26 episodes, but was cancelled after one season due to low ratings, and it is considered as one of the less successful adaptations of the franchise.
It is not considered canon to the main continuity of the TMNT universe and is rarely referenced in other versions of the franchise.
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles 2k3 Cartoon Series (2003-2009)
The Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles 2k3 cartoon series, also known as the “2003 cartoon,” is a 3D animated television series that aired from 2003 to 2009. The series was produced by 4Kids Entertainment and Mirage Studios, and aired on the Fox network and later on Cartoon Network.
The series is a reboot of the original 1987 cartoon series, and it follows the same basic premise as the comics and the previous cartoon series.
We follow four mutated turtles named Leonardo, Raphael, Michelangelo, and Donatello, who were trained in Ninjutsu by their sensei, Master Splinter, and fight crime in New York City.
The turtles’ main adversary is the Shredder, leader of the Foot Clan, a criminal organization.
This series was more action-oriented and darker than the previous cartoon series, but still aimed at a younger audience.
The series also introduces new characters like Karai, a female warrior who serves as Shredder’s second-in-command, and the Mighty Mutanimals, a group of mutants who are allies of the turtles.
The series ran for a total of 193 episodes over 7 seasons, making it one of the longest-running versions of the franchise.
It was well received by both fans and critics and is considered one of the better versions of the franchise, it also had a strong merchandise and video game tie-ins.
This series was a major success and helped to reintroduce the franchise to a new generation of fans and it was also responsible for making the franchise popular again after the Next Mutation series.
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Live-action Movie Reboot (2007, 2014, 2016)
The Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles live-action movie reboot is a series of three feature films produced by Platinum Dunes and released in the late 2000s and early 2010s.
These movies are based on the popular Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles comic book series created by Kevin Eastman and Peter Laird.
TMNT (2007)
The first movie, TMNT (2007) directed by Kevin Munroe, was a box office success, grossing over $95 million worldwide.
The movie follows the turtles as they team up with April O’Neil, a television reporter, to stop Shredder and his Foot Clan from taking over New York City.
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (2014)
The second movie, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (2014) directed by Jonathan Liebesman, grossed $493 million worldwide.
The movie follows the turtles as they team up with April O’Neil, a television reporter, to stop Shredder and his Foot Clan from taking over New York City.
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Out of the Shadows (2016)
The third movie, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Out of the Shadows (2016) directed by Dave Green, grossed $245 million worldwide.
The movie follows the turtles as they confront Shredder, who has escaped from prison and has teamed up with mad scientist Baxter Stockman and other mutants to take over the world.
All three movies feature the turtles being portrayed using a combination of live-action and CGI, and the cast includes actors such as Megan Fox, Will Arnett, and William Fichtner.
These movies were criticized by some fans and critics for straying too far from the source material and for their lack of faithfulness to the comics, but they were still successful at the box office, and they helped to reintroduce the franchise to a new generation of fans.
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles 2012 Cartoon Series (2012-2017)
As we continue to watch The Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles in order, we get to the 2012 cartoon series, also known as the “Nicktoons” series, is a 2D animated television series that aired from 2012 to 2017.
The series was produced by Nickelodeon Animation Studios and aired on the Nickelodeon network.
The series is a reboot of the 2003 cartoon series, and it follows the same basic premise as the comics and previous cartoon series, with four mutated turtles named Leonardo, Raphael, Michelangelo, and Donatello, who were trained in Ninjutsu by their sensei, Master Splinter, and fight crime in New York City.
The turtles’ main adversary is the Shredder, leader of the Foot Clan, a criminal organization.
This series was more comedic and kid-friendly than the previous cartoon series, but still aimed at a younger audience. The series also introduces new characters like Casey Jones, a vigilante who becomes an ally of the turtles, and the recurring villain, Kraang, an alien warlord from Dimension X.
The series ran for a total of 124 episodes over five seasons, making it one of the longest-running versions of the franchise.
It was well received by both fans and critics and helped to introduce the franchise to a new generation of fans. The series also had a strong merchandise and video game tie-ins.
This series was a major success for Nickelodeon and helped to cement the franchise’s popularity among younger audiences. It also contributed to the overall success of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles franchise.
Rise Of The Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Cartoon Series (2018-2020)
The Rise of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles cartoon series is a 2D animated television series that aired from 2018 to 2020. The series was produced by Nickelodeon Animation Studios and aired on the Nickelodeon network.
This series is a complete reboot of the franchise, and it follows the same basic premise as the comics and previous cartoon series, but with a new art style, new characters, and a new take on the turtles’ origin story.
In this series the turtles have new abilities, weapons, and personalities, and their main adversary is the Shredder and his Foot Clan, a criminal organization.
The series introduces new characters like Baron Draxum, an alchemist warrior who serves as the main antagonist of the series, and also introduces a new secondary antagonist, the mysterious Savanti Romero.
The series ran for a total of 52 episodes over two seasons and was well received by audiences, and it helped to introduce the franchise to a new generation of fans. It also had merchandise and video game tie-ins.
This series was a major success for Nickelodeon, it had a fresh take on the franchise, and it helped to cement the franchise’s popularity among younger audiences. It also contributed to the overall success of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles franchise.
TMNT: The Last Ronin Comic Series (2021)
TMNT: The Last Ronin is a comic book series created by Kevin Eastman and Peter Laird, the co-creators of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles franchise, and it was published by IDW Publishing in 2021.
The series is a standalone story set in the future of the TMNT universe, and it features an older and more experienced version of the turtles.
The series follows the lone surviving turtle, known as the “Last Ronin,” as he sets out on a mission of vengeance against the Foot Clan, the organization responsible for the death of his brothers and master. Along the way, he uncovers secrets and conspiracies that threaten to destroy not only the Foot Clan but also the entire city of New York.
The series was well-received by both fans and critics and praised for its darker tone, more mature themes and its deep exploration of the characters and their motivations. It was a commercial success and sold out in several stores quickly.
TMNT: The Last Ronin is considered a standalone story, but it has been said that it is part of a bigger story arc and it may have more issues in the future. The series is considered as a continuation of the original comics series and it takes place in the same continuity.
If you love the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles this guide to watching the shows in order will make sure dont miss an adventure.
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