The Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles are one of those late-80s, early-90s kid-gold. These movies are a pure nostalgia punch, plus a great way to remember the names of famous Italian Renaissance artists for pub trivia. Whether you’re a longtime fan on a blast to the past or a newbie just getting into the ninjitsu-trained, pizza-loving heroes, here are the best Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle movies.
What are the best Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles movies as of 2025?
Before we give you our top five picks for the best TMNT movies, know that these are subjective and the list isn’t ranked. Ask any fan, and they’ll give you a different opinion. No need to take this too seriously, dude.
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (1990)
Kicking things off with the original film, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles follows the four crime-fighting turtle bros — Leonardo, Michelangelo, Donatello, and Raphael. Under the guidance of their mutant rat sensei, Splinter, they take on their arch-nemesis, the Shredder, and his Foot Clan.
While it carries the same vibe as the 1987 animated series and comics, this movie gets the whole Jim Henson Creature Shop treatment, meaning giant puppet suits, intricate creature work, and a touch of creepiness if you stare too long. But it’s all in good fun. Henson himself even said TMNT was the most complicated creature work he’d ever done. Even up until his death, which was sadly two months before the movie premiered, Jim Henson was surpassing himself. Now, is the movie a critical darling? Definitely not. It can actually be a little irritating if you’re not reliving your childhood. Still, there’s no denying the magic this movie had for us kids back then. If you’re revisiting it now, bring a little of that childlike wonder with you.
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem (2023)
The most recent TMNT movie, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem, brings the turtles back in a modern version that is surprisingly self-aware. This animated reboot is actually an origin story that takes us back to the infamous ooze that created our turtle gang. Because of this transformation, Raphael, Donatello, Leonardo, and Michelangelo crave the teen world outside the sewers, but Splinter warns them of the dangers posed by humans. There’s a message of finding acceptance from without and within all over this thing.
This time, the turtles are voiced by actual teens, with Jackie Chan lending his voice as Splinter. Sometimes these movies run a little cringey in the voiceover department, but we’ve got to hand it to this version and the top-tier cast. The animation style also adds some comic-book flair, keeping every fight and goofy moment exciting. The only big flaw here, if we’re getting down to the nitty-gritty, is that we’d like to see more character development. We get the origin story, why not a little more focus on these guys? Still, this one is solid and easily ranks at the top of any best-of list.
Batman Vs. Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (2019)
Holy Batman, it’s Batman in a Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle movie. How did this even happen? The crossover comic storyline is what happened. But in terms of plot, Batman vs. Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles starts when the Foot Clan teams up with Ra’s al Ghul in Gotham, which forces Batman and the Turtles to join forces to stop them. But before they can team up, we have a hilarious meet-cute where Batman makes easy work of the quad’s fighting abilities. Clearly, they’ve got more training to do.
If you think this mix of tones is confusing, you’d be right. It is, but it works really well and is incredibly fun. We get the peril of Gotham with all its deadly villains shaken with the Turtles’ goofier antics to make one heck of a martini. Still, camaraderie isn’t necessarily easy when you’ve got the leadership style of Batman and his gang working with the particular personality style of the Turtles. At this point, hopefully, you can gather that this one is a good time.
Rise of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: The Movie (2022)
A continuation of the Netflix animated series that ran from 2018 to 2020, the Rise of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles movie picks up when our favorite mutant brothers meet a mysterious stranger from the future. This mysterious ally, Casey Jones, has been sent back from 2044 to deliver a dire warning to the Turtles: an alien race called the Krang is about to invade Earth.
As far as reception goes, this is an underrated gem of a TMNT movie. We’re not entirely sure why more fans don’t spread the gospel of this entry, since it’s exceptionally fun and has more quotable moments than the other films. The fight scene at the end is outstanding. If you had a hard time making it through the first few episodes of the TV series, this does a much better job of grabbing hold and taking you on one crazy 90-minute ride.
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Out of the Shadows (2016)
The sequel to the 2014 reboot, Out of the Shadows doubles down on the chaotic energy and explosive visuals that defined its predecessor. It also manages to tap more deeply into the cartoonish heart that longtime fans of the franchise will immediately recognize. We waste no time jumping straight into a plot that sees Leonardo, Michelangelo, Donatello, and Raphael once again protecting New York City. Shredder is back, having escaped custody thanks to some machinations from scientist Baxter Stockman. Mid-escape, Shredder gets teleported to another dimension, where he joins forces with Krang in another diabolical maneuver.
Despite its sometimes overblown action and glossy CGI, we have to hand it to OOTS for leaning into the absurdity of its premise. We’re big fans of Bebop and Rocksteady, the mutant henchmen who turn nearly every scene they’re in into slapstick gold. April O’Neil (played by Megan Fox) is once again caught in the crossfire of the turtles’ world-saving antics. While the film sometimes wobbles between camp and bombast, it’s also self-aware. This is a cartoon we’re watching. And it’s about giant mutant ninja turtles. Why pretend to be anything other than what it is?
How we picked the best Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle movies
You can’t go too wrong with any of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle movies. Though they’re all a blast, some are better than others. For our list, we picked the movies that generally get the best fan feedback, rock the animation, and are endlessly quotable. These picks are, overall, the most entertaining, while still having the writing to back up the antics.
