The Five Best Ninja Turtles Movies
Last updated: August 7, 2026
Today it’s time to recommend the five best Ninja Turtles movies. We'll jump between all the different incarnations and pick the raisins out of this delicious, childishly delightful cake.
Little did Kevin Eastman and Peter Laird know that they were creating one of pop culture's most recognizable icons when they sat down and sketched their first ninja turtles. Today, the Turtles are firmly embedded in our cultural vocabulary, and while their biggest heyday may be behind them, the heroes in a half shell are still very much alive.
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (1990)
First up is the wonderful 1990 debut, the Turtles' very first live-action movie, released right in the middle of Turtle Mania. The film had a rather thankless task: to bridge the gap between the light-hearted tone of the TV series and the darker, black-and-white comics. Somehow, it pulls it off brilliantly.
A wave of crime is sweeping through New York. Rumors begin to spread about a mysterious ninja clan that preys on troubled youths. Its leader, Shredder, is plotting something sinister, and it's up to our heroes, the Turtles, to stop him.
READ MORE: Live-action dog movies for the whole family
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles II: The Secret of the Ooze (1991)
Just one year after the original swept through the movie world, it was time for a sequel. The Secret of the Ooze is noticeably lighter in tone, and the studio actually gave in to angry parents who demanded less violence. The result is still a charming, if somewhat neutered, Turtle adventure.
Shredder is back! Getting crushed by a garbage truck wasn't enough to finish off the archvillain, and now he's planning to create mutants of his own to take down the turtle brothers. On top of that, our heroes uncover some surprising truths about their own past.
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Out of the Shadows (2016)
In 2014, the Turtles were rebooted for a new, edgier audience that had grown up on Nolan's Batman. The result was a mixed bag, but the sequel (which, for some reason, is unbelievably hated) is an absolutely ridiculous and refreshingly fun Turtle flick.
Shredder breaks out of prison and plans to use mutagen to create new mutants (again). On top of that, a new villain enters the stage: the humanoid brain Krang from Dimension X.
Batman vs. Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (2019)
Shredder makes his way to Gotham City and joins forces with Batman's rival, Ra's al Ghul. It's a formidable alliance, one that forces the Dark Knight to call in some backup. Care to guess which four green brothers answer the call?
Next up is the ultimate childhood fantasy: Batman vs. Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. Anyone who ever owned a box of action figures and staged epic battles has dreamed about this crossover at some point. This animated movie finally makes it happen.
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem (2023)
Mutant Mayhem is the latest in a long line of reboots aiming to tell the definitive version of the Turtles' origin story. The turtles are created through mutagen alongside their master, Splinter, who trains the gang to become ninjas. But more than anything, the brothers just want to be ordinary kids—to go to school and hang out with friends.
Mutant Mayhem was a real shot in the arm that completely won me over thanks to its stunning animation. The focus on the Turtles' relationships made them feel like genuine teenagers, and their hopes and dreams felt surprisingly grounded. A delightful reboot aimed at a younger audience.
