From their home in sewers of New York City, they battle petty criminals, evil overlords, mutated creatures, and alien invaders while attempting to remain hidden from society. They were created by Kevin Eastman and Peter Laird. The characters originated in comic books published by Mirage Studios and expanded into cartoon series, films, video games, toys, and other merchandise. During the peak of the franchises popularity in the late 1. Historyedit. Cover of Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles 1 May 1. The Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles first appeared in an American comic book published by Mirage Studios in 1. Dover, New Hampshire. The concept arose from a humorous drawing sketched out by Eastman during a casual evening of brainstorming and bad television with Laird. Using money from a tax refund, together with a loan from Eastmans uncle, the young artists self published a single issue comic intended to parody four of the most popular comics of the early 1. Marvel Comics Daredevil and New Mutants, Dave Sims Cerebus, and Frank Millers Ronin. The TMNT comic book series has been published in various incarnations by various comic book companies since 1. The Turtles started their rise to mainstream success when a licensing agent, Mark Freedman, sought out Eastman and Laird to propose wider merchandising opportunities for the franchise. In 1. 98. 6, Dark Horse Miniatures produced a set of 1. In January 1. 98. Eastman and Laird visited the offices of Playmates Toys, a small California toy company that wanted to expand into the action figure market. Development was undertaken by a creative team of companies and individuals Jerry Sachs, advertising agent of Sachs Finley Agency, brought together the animators at Murakami Wolf Swenson headed by Fred Wolf. Wolf and his team combined concepts and ideas with the Playmates marketing crew, headed by Karl Aaronian, vice president VP of sales Richard Sallis, and VP of Playmates Bill Carlson. Aaronian brought on several designers and concepteur and writer John C. Schulte, and worked out the simple backstory that would live on toy packaging for the entire run of the product and show. Sachs called the high concept pitch Green Against Brick. The sense of humor was honed with the collaboration of the Murakami Wolf Swenson animation firms writers. Playmates and their team essentially served as associate producers and contributing writers to the miniseries that was first launched to sell in the toy action figures. Phrases like Heroes in a half shell and many of the comical catch phrases and battle cries Turtle power came from the writing and conceptualization of this creative team. As the series developed, veteran writer Jack Mendelsohn came on board as both a story editor and scriptwriter. David Wise, Michael Charles Hill, and Michael Reaves wrote most of the scripts. The miniseries was repeated three times before it found an audience. Once the product started selling, the show got syndicated and picked up and backed by Group W, which funded the next round of animation. The show then went network, on CBS. Accompanied by the popular Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles 1. TV series, and the subsequent action figure line, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles became a mainstream success. At the height of the frenzy, in the late 1. Turtles likenesses could be found on a wide range of childrens merchandise, from Pez dispensers to skateboards, breakfast cereal, video games, school supplies, linens, towels, cameras, and toy shaving kits. While the animated TV series, which lasted for 1. In 1. 99. 0, a live action feature film was released, with the Turtles and Splinter being portrayed by actors in partially animatronic suits created by Jim Hensons Creature Shop. The film became one of the most successful independent films and spawned two sequels, as well as inspiring a three dimensional animated film set in the same continuity, which was released in 2. TMNT. After the end of the cartoon series, a live action series in the vein of the films was created in 1. Saban Entertainment. The series was called Ninja Turtles The Next Mutation and introduced a fifth, female turtle called Venus de Milo. However, the series was largely unsuccessful and was canceled after one season. The property lay dormant until 2. TV series also entitled Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles began to air on Fox Box 4. Kids TV. The series storyline stuck much closer to the original Mirage comic book series, but was still less violent. It lasted for seven seasons and 1. February 2. 00. 9. On October 2. 1, 2. Nickelodeon a subsidiary of Viacom had purchased all of Mirages rights to the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles property. Mirage retains the rights to publish 1. Mirage with the Turtles and the future of Mirage Studios itself is unknown. Nickelodeon has developed a new CGI animated TMNT television series and partnered with fellow Viacom company Paramount Pictures to bring a new TMNT movie to theaters. The TV show premiered on Nickelodeon on September 2. The live action film, produced by Platinum Dunes, Nickelodeon Movies, and Paramount Pictures, directed by Jonathan Liebesman, and produced by Michael Bay, was released on August 8, 2. Main characterseditLeonardo Leo The tactical, courageous leader and devoted student of his sensei, Leonardo wears a blue mask and wields two katana. As the most conscientious of the four, he often bears the burden of responsibility for his brothers, which commonly leads to conflict with Raphael. Leonardo was named after the Italian polymath, painter, engineer, inventor, writer, anatomist, and sculptor, Leonardo da Vinci. Raphael Raph The teams bad boy, Raphael wears a red mask and wields a pair of sai. He is physically very strong, has an aggressive nature, and seldom hesitates to throw the first punch. He is often depicted with a very pronounced New York accent. His personality can be fierce and sarcastic, and oftentimes delivers deadpan humor. He is intensely loyal to his brothers and sensei. He is named after the Italian painter and architect of the High Renaissance, Raphael. Donatello Donnie or Don The scientist, inventor, engineer, and technological genius, Donatello wears a purple mask and wields a bo staff. Donatello is perhaps the least violent turtle, preferring to use his knowledge to solve conflicts, but never hesitates to defend his brothers. He is named after the early Renaissance Italian artist and sculptor from Florence, Donatello. Michelangelo Mikey The most stereotypical teenager of the team, Michelangelo is a free spirited, relaxed, and often goofy jokester, and known for his love of pizza. Michelangelo wears an orange mask and wields a pair of nunchucks. He provides the comic relief, though he still has an adventurous side. The least mature of the four Turtles, he shows characteristics of a surfer type and is often depicted with a Southern Californian accent. He is named after the Italian Renaissance painter, sculptor, architect, poet, and engineer, Michelangelo. His name was originally misspelled Michaelangelo by Peter Laird and Kevin Eastman. Splinter The Turtles sensei and adoptive father, Splinter is a Japanese mutant rat that learned the ways of ninjutsu from his owner and master, Hamato Yoshi. In the 1. 98. 7 TV series, Archie Comics series, and the 2. TV series, Splinter was Hamato Yoshi mutated into a humanoid rat. In the 2. 00. 3 TV series, he was Hamato Yoshis pet rat. He was mutated from a mysterious ooze from the TCRI building. In the IDW comics, he is Hamato Yoshi reincarnated as a mutated rat. April ONeil A former lab assistant to the mad scientist. TMNT film Wikipedia. TMNT is a 2. 00. 7 American computer animatedfantasyaction film written and directed by Kevin Munroe. Based on the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles comic book series, the film stars Chris Evans, Sarah Michelle Gellar, Mako, Kevin Smith, Patrick Stewart, and Zhang Ziyi. Mako died in July 2. TMNT his final film role. The film is dedicated to him. It was the first Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles film made with computer generated imagery CGI, created by Imagi Animation Studios, as well as the first feature film in the franchise in 1. The film sees the four Turtles Raphael, Leonardo, Donatello, and Michelangelo grow apart after their final defeat of the Shredder, when strange things are happening in New York City as ancient creatures threaten the world and the Turtles must reunite to save it. The film premiered theatrically on March 2. Its release coincided with tie in products including toys, comics, and video games. Three thousand years ago warlord Yaotl enters a portal into a parallel universe and becomes immortal, but his four generals are turned to stone. The portal also releases 1. In the present, the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles have grown apart. After defeating the Shredder, Master Splinter has sent Leonardo to Central America for training, where he protects a village from a bandits. Donatello works as an IT specialist, Michelangelo works as a birthday party entertainer called Cowabunga Carl, and Raphael works at night as the vigilante Nightwatcher. April ONeil operates a company that locates and acquires relics for collectors, assisted by her boyfriend, Casey Jones. April travels to Central America for work and finds Leonardo, telling him that the Turtles have drifted apart. April returns to New York City with a statue for wealthy tycoon Max Winters. Leonardo also returns, and April and Casey deliver the statue to Winters. Winters hires Karai and the Foot Clan to search the city for the 1. Raphael encounters Casey, who reveals his knowledge of Raphaels double identity and joins him in hunting criminals. Winters, who is actually Yaotl and is still immortal, reanimates his stone generals. Leonardo returns to the sewer lair, meeting Splinter. Splinter forbids the Turtles from fighting until they can act as a team again. While training, the Turtles encounter one of the 1. Bigfoot, battling the Foot Clan. The Turtles engage Bigfoot, going against Leonardo and Splinters orders. When Raphael visits Casey, they encounter Vampire Succubor, one of the monsters and witness its capture by the Foot and the Stone Generals, who spot them. Raphael is knocked unconscious. Casey takes Raphael back to the apartment while April calls the Turtles for help and reveals the identities of Yaotl and his generals. After being revived, Raphael suggests they pursue Yaotl, but Leonardo forbids him to go until Splinter gives out the order. Raphael investigates alone. Leonardo, Donatello, and Michelangelo plan their next move, while Donatello discovers the next portal will open over Winters tower. Splinter tells Leonardo that his team is incomplete, and that he knows what he must do. After 1. 1 monsters have been captured, General Aguila questions Yaotls actions. The generals conspire to betray Yaotl, wanting to remain immortal. Raphael encounters the Jersey Devil, one of the remaining monsters but drives it off. Leonardo fights Raphael, but when he breaks Leonardos swords, Raphael is forced to leave. The generals seize Leonardo, intending to substitute him for the 1. Raphael decides to make amends by rescuing Leonardo. As the portal opens, Yaotl discovers his generals treachery, while Splinter and the Turtles, accompanied by Casey and April, fight their way through the Foot Clan cordon and breach the tower. Yaotl reveals the truth to the heroes he wants to be free of his curse of immortality. The generals reveal that they wish to preserve their immortality, but also to use the portal to bring in more monsters to conquer the world. Having refused to betray Yaotl in exchange for serving the Generals, April, Casey and the Foot Clan work together, searching for the final monster, the Sea Monster, while the Turtles fight the generals. Splinter and Yaotl fight off numerous monsters emerging from the portal. April, Casey and Karai arrive at the tower with the Sea Monster. The Sea Monster crashes into the Generals, dragging them into the portal before it closes. Karai warns them to enjoy their victory while it lasts, claiming they will soon contend with faces from their past, which the Turtles suspect to be the Shredder. She and the rest of the Foot Clan depart. Yaotl, now mortal, honors the Turtles and Splinter, thanking them for fulfilling his wish before dissipating. The Secret Of Kells Watch Free Online on this page. Splinter places Yaotls helmet among his trophy collection, as well as Raphaels Nightwatcher helmet and Michelangelos Cowabunga Carl head. As they return to their roles as the shadowy guardians of New York City, Raphael says that the Turtles will always be brothers. He ends the film with the familiar saying, Oh, I love being a turtle. ProductioneditA computer graphics imagery CGI TMNT movie was first announced in 2. John Woo supposedly at the helm. That movie languished in development hell and Woo ultimately moved on to other projects. TMNT, executive produced by the TMNT co creator Peter Laird, departs from the previous films live action style and is the first and only CGI film in the series. Writerdirector Kevin Munroe said that he wanted to do total CGI instead of live action and CGI turtles because it would be easier for the audience to suspend disbelief for such an offbeat story as there would be no break in the reality between CGI and live action. Producer Tom Gray explained that the decision to depart from the live action series was due to escalating budgets for the three films, and with each film making less than its predecessor, a CGI film became a reality. For example, the first film made 1. Orange Sky Golden Harvests rights to the franchise had expired, and Gray said the question arose there over a CGI TMNT film in 2. Munroe stated in terms of the story line that ideas were floated as extreme as the Turtles being in space, but eventually it just came back to New York City, and the theme of the family that had fallen apart. When developing the screenplay, Munroe wanted to take on a less lighthearted tone or less Cowabunga and place an emphasis on dark elements as shown in the original comics to appeal to the mature audience. I had a very specific tone because mixing that sort of action and comedy is a very specific thing. Most people were just coming and wanting to make it too funny. I think that version of the movie could do really well, but we wanted to do something where it sort of pushes the envelope a little bit more and says that animation is more than just comedic animals bumping into each other and farting1. Munroe said that in design and in the rendering of the animation, he was after the feel of a comic book. Karai was one of Munroes favoriite characters from the comics and he was the one who really pushed for Karai to appear in the film. TMNT co creator Peter Laird stated it takes place in its own universe separate from the previous films. However, director Munroe says the film exists in the same continuity as the other films, which was supported by the memento wall at the end of the film. Development and pre production for TMNT began in June 2. Imagis Los Angeles facility and the CGI animation was produced in Hong Kong, followed by post production in Hollywood. In designing the New York backdrop, art directorconcept artist Simon Murton stylized the familiar Manhattan skyline and urban landscapes We began with cinematic cues from certain black and white films from the 1. I really wanted to push the lighting and the environments to create the look and feel of an alternate reality.