Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Movies in Order: What Everyone Gets Wrong About the Timeline

You'd think a franchise about radioactive reptiles would be simple. It’s not. Keeping the teenage mutant ninja turtles movies in order is actually a bit of a headache because, honestly, the studio keeps hitting the "reset" button every time a director gets a new idea. We aren't looking at one long story here. We’re looking at four distinct universes that don't talk to each other.

If you grew up in the 90s, you probably remember the gritty suits. If you’re a Gen Z fan, you might think of the Michael Bay explosions or the gorgeous "sketchbook" animation of the recent films.

Let's break down the actual watch order, but more importantly, let's look at why these movies keep changing their DNA.

The Original 90s Trilogy (The Golden Era)

This is where it all started. 1990. New Line Cinema took a massive gamble on a gritty, dark indie comic adaptation. Nobody thought it would work. Critics hated it. Kids? They went absolutely feral for it.

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (1990)

This is the peak. Jim Henson’s Creature Shop did the suits, and they still look better than most CGI today. It’s surprisingly dark. Raphael gets beaten into a coma. Leonardo deals with the burden of leadership. It’s a New York movie through and through. If you’re looking to watch the teenage mutant ninja turtles movies in order, you start here because it captures the soul of the original Kevin Eastman and Peter Laird comics.

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

Parents complained. They said the first movie was too violent. So, the studio panicked. In the sequel, the turtles barely use their weapons. They fight with sausages and toys. It gave us Vanilla Ice and "Go Ninja, Go Ninja, Go," which is either a nostalgic masterpiece or a fever dream depending on who you ask. It’s lighter, brighter, and way more "kinda goofy."

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Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles III (1993)

The wheels fell off here. The turtles travel back in time to feudal Japan. The animatronic suits changed vendors, and frankly, they looked terrible. The turtles looked like they were made of melting wax. It’s a weird footnote in the franchise, but if you're a completionist, it’s the end of the original live-action run.

The Forgotten 2007 Standalone

Before the massive reboots, we got TMNT. Just the initials. It was a fully CGI film voiced by heavy hitters like Chris Evans and Sarah Michelle Gellar.

Here is the weird part: it’s technically a loose sequel to the 90s trilogy. If you look closely at the trophy room at the end of the film, you see the broken Shredder helmet from the first movie and the time-travel scepter from the third. It’s a moody, beautifully animated film that focuses on the rift between Leo and Raph. It’s often skipped in the teenage mutant ninja turtles movies in order discussions, but it’s actually one of the most "adult" takes on the brothers' relationship.

The Michael Bay / Platinum Dunes Era

In 2014, things got big. And loud. And very, very shiny. This was the reboot produced by Michael Bay.

• Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (2014): Megan Fox plays April O'Neil. The turtles are seven feet tall and look like muscular tanks. It changed the origin story—making the turtles and Splinter former lab pets of April’s father.
• Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Out of the Shadows (2016): This one felt like a live-action version of the 80s cartoon. We finally got Bebop, Rocksteady, Krang, and the Technodrome. It’s much more fun than the 2014 film, but it bombed at the box office, effectively killing this specific timeline.

The Modern "Spider-Verse" Style Era

Now we get to the good stuff. After the Bay movies fizzled out, the franchise went back to the drawing board.

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Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem (2023)

Produced by Seth Rogen, this movie actually cast teenagers to play the turtles. Genius move. The animation style is messy, handwritten, and gorgeous. It feels like a teenager’s notebook come to life. It’s a total ground-up reboot. You don’t need to know anything about the 90s or the 2014 movies to enjoy this.

Tales of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (2024)

Technically a bridge. This is a 2D animated series on Paramount+ that continues the Mutant Mayhem story. It’s not a feature film, but for the sake of the timeline, it fills the gap before the theatrical sequel.

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem 2 (Announced for 2026)

The story continues. We know Shredder is coming. This is the current "active" timeline that fans are rallying behind.

Why the Chronological Order is a Myth

You can't watch these as one continuous story. You just can't. If you try to link the 1990 film to the 2014 film, your brain will melt. The "real" way to watch the teenage mutant ninja turtles movies in order is by grouping them into their respective "dimensions" or eras.

The Classic Timeline

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1. Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (1990)
2. Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles II: The Secret of the Ooze (1991)
3. Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles III (1993)
4. TMNT (2007) - Optional, but fits the vibe.

The Michael Bay Timeline

1. Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (2014)
2. Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Out of the Shadows (2016)

The Mutant Mayhem Timeline

1. Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem (2023)
2. Mutant Mayhem 2 (Upcoming)

There’s also a wild card: Rise of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: The Movie (2022). It’s on Netflix. It’s a continuation of the Rise TV show. It has nothing to do with any of the other movies. It’s hyper-stylized, magical, and incredibly fast-paced.

The Verdict on Quality

If you're introducing a kid to the franchise today, start with Mutant Mayhem. It’s relatable. If you want to see why the Turtles became a global phenomenon in the first place, you have to watch the 1990 original. It has a soul that CGI just hasn't been able to replicate yet.

The biggest mistake people make is assuming they have to watch every single one to understand the story. You don't. Pick an era and dive in. The 1990 film is a gritty crime drama with puppets. The 2016 film is a Saturday morning cartoon with a $135 million budget. They are completely different beasts.

Next Steps for Your Rewatch:

• Check Streaming Licensing: These movies jump between Max, Paramount+, and Netflix constantly. As of early 2026, Paramount+ is the most consistent "home" for the franchise, but the 90s films often rotate out to Max.
• Skip the Third Movie: Unless you have a high tolerance for bad animatronics and confusing plot holes, the 1993 TMNT III is generally considered the "low point" of the series.
• Watch the 1990 Original First: It remains the definitive version of the characters for most lifelong fans and provides the necessary context for why the brothers act the way they do.
• Look for the 1990 Director’s Cut Rumors: Fans have been clamoring for a "Snyder Cut" style release of the first movie with more of the cut footage from the farm sequence; keep an eye on boutique Blu-ray labels like Shout! Factory for potential anniversary releases.