TMNT’s Kevin Eastman Confirms What’s the Best Version of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles

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Last year, the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles celebrated their fortieth birthday. Ever since it first appeared on our pop culture scene, this property has become an integral part of our cultural landscape. The TMNT made their debut in 1987 from the pages of a popular comic series, quickly becoming a successful toy line and animated show. Now, after seven films and seven television series, TMNT co-creator Kevin Eastman spoke with ComicBook about his favorite on-screen adaptation.

At San Diego Comic-Con, Eastman reminisced about the heartwarming experience of seeing new generations of fans connect with Raphael, Donatello, Leonardo, and Michelangelo. He also shared which TMNT adaptation he cherished most as it best represented the original comics.

When queried about which adaptation most accurately represented Eastman and co-creator Peter Laird’s initial vision for the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles characters, Eastman swiftly pointed to the original live-action Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles film from 1990. He appreciated the movie’s loyalty to the “original black and white series that Peter and I created” as a significant factor contributing to his enjoyment of it. Furthermore, he elaborated that the 1990 Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles film was “the perfect storm” due to its skillful combination of the humor and levity from the 1987 animated series with the comics’ “tone, emotional depth, and grit.

Eastman promptly shared his enthusiasm as Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles make their way back to cinemas this month, marking the film’s 35th anniversary. This action-packed adventure was directed by Steve Barron and boasted the talented voices of Brian Tochi, Josh Pais, Corey Feldman, and Robbie Rist as the crime-fighting turtle quartet. Remarkably successful for an independent film upon its release, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles earned a staggering $202 million internationally at the box office, outperforming its budget of just $13.5 million.

Eastman Also “Adored” Teenage Mutant Turtles: Mutant Mayhem

While the initial Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles movie will forever hold a sentimental value for Eastman, it doesn’t diminish his pleasure derived from the most recent addition to the series. The animated film, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem, made its debut two years ago this month. This film was not only commercially successful but also critically acclaimed, managing to secure the prestigious “Certified Fresh” rating on Rotten Tomatoes with a remarkable 95% approval score from critics on the platform.

Eastman, who made a brief appearance in the movie “Mutant Mayhem“, expressed his deep affection and admiration for it, referring to it as a “love poem” inspired by the original animated Turtles series. He praised the film’s edgy, gritty, and raw feel, specifically mentioning the lighting and animation style as being spot on.

Despite facing some challenges on the big screen during the early 21st century, with films like “TMNT” in 2007 and the live-action “Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles” reboot in 2014 being met with mixed reviews, it seems that the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles franchise has made a strong comeback. The comic book series is still thriving, and the creator of the franchise, Eastman, even expressed interest in a “Mutant Mayhem” sequel while the film was being produced. Fortunately for fans like us, a “Mutant Mayhem” sequel is underway and is slated for release in 2027.

For a brief period, the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles’ 35th Anniversary movie screenings are happening across various theaters throughout the country, running from August 15th to August 21st.

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2025-08-04 23:10