TMNT action figures have been totally going strong for nearly 3 full decades, and they don’t seem to be going back into their shells any time soon. We’ll keep you in the loop with the latest updates on these righteous collectibles!
Last year was pretty hectic for the Ninja Turtles, bringing us a lot of interesting experiences and memories. Of course, it was the 30th anniversary of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, so it makes sense that there were a lot of notable events, but some were definitely more memorable than others. Sadly, not all of these memories were important for the right reasons, but they will all surely leave a mark on the TMNT franchise as a whole. With that being said, let’s talk about four of the most outrageous moments of 2014 and the impact they had on the turtles.
TMNT Halloween Costume Fiasco
Early in the year, millions of shellheads were eagerly awaiting an official press release of some sort from the movie studios producing the newest Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles movie. Whether it was a trailer for the film or some production stills to get us hyped, we were all getting a little antsy waiting for some kind of news from the powers that be. In fact, we were so starved for information that we would take anything that we could find – including images of TMNT Halloween costumes planned for a release later in the year.
Sadly, these were the first images we would see that would give us any indication of what to expect from the new movie, and a lot of people were not pleased. Others were psyched about what they saw and happy just to finally see something. Mere weeks later, the studios would finally begin releasing photos of concept art for the film and even trailers. I highly doubt that the Halloween costume fiasco had anything to do with this, but hopefully the studios will learn from this experience. It would appear they are already learning from the experiences of this release, as we are already learning big details about the sequel, which has a planned release date of 2016.
Nick’s TMNT Nostalgia
Okay, so nostalgia has played a fairly significant role throughout the new Nickelodeon TMNT series, but last year saw a return to the universe of the original animated series from 1987. In addition to this, we also saw a lot more references to nostalgic cartoons and movies from the 70’s and 80’s, as well as Kevin Eastman getting his own starring role in the show (he plays Ice Cream Kitty).
It’s clear that the creators of the show are obsessed with the era that originally brought about the Ninja Turtles, and that’s a good thing. After all, who better to create the next great Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles series than someone who knows how it should look and feel? If this nostalgic take on the turtles continues on as it has been, we’re in for a great experience that is sure to keep both long time shellheads and newer fans happy for years to come.
Awesome New TMNT Toys
Not only did Playmates continue creating incredible toy lines for the Ninja Turtles, but a plethora of other toy companies such as Jakks Pacific, Minimates, Funko and Kid Robot also produced a few TMNT toys of their own. Jakks Pacific in particular made a 4 foot tall Michelangelo, while Minimates produced a line of incredibly detailed figures in blind bags. In honor of the 30th anniversary of the turtles, Playmates produced a line of Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle action figures which were designed to look just like the turtles from the original comic book. Needless to say, it was a good year for TMNT toy collectors.
Thankfully, it would appear that last year was only the tip of the iceberg when it comes to new and creative toy lines based on the turtles. Early this year, Playmates will be releasing both their Mutations line and a Mix & Match line. While the base Mutations line is based on a series of figures that they have done in the past, the Mix & Match toy series is incredibly innovative and looks to be a lot of fun for kids. Not only are there more TMNT toys being created for collectors, but there are also TMNT figures being crafted for kids as well. This is a good sign about the health of the Ninja Turtles toy market and where it is headed.
TMNT Movie Takes World By Storm
Although a lot of fans were initially worried about the new Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles movie from Platinum Dunes, the film went on to become one of the most successful of 2014, earning over $400 million worldwide. Some shellheads were disappointed in the final result, while others were more than pleased with Jonathan Liebesman’s efforts. Whether you loved it or hated it, the movie was lucrative enough in the end that the studios decided to go forward with plans for a sequel. It’s safe to say that turtle power is back and the world wants more of the TMNT.
Even if you weren’t a fan of the movie, it did have some positive effects on the franchise. For one thing, now that it has become the most successful TMNT movie of all time, we can be assured that we’ll be seeing a lot of Ninja Turtles related projects coming in the near future. We’re not just talking about sequels here, we’re talking about comic books, toys, additional seasons of Nickelodeon’s TMNT and more. The newest Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles film also ensured that the Turtle Power documentary would get a pretty nice release both digitally and on DVD, and that’s pretty cool.
Here’s to Another Turtley Awesome Year
All in all, the 30th Anniversary of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles was pretty awesome. Not only did we get to celebrate our heroes in a half shell in style, but the success of the franchise also guaranteed many more years of Ninja Turtles projects to come. Even if you didn’t appreciate some of the most important turtles moments of 2014, chances are that you’ll see the benefits of them this year. What are you most hopeful for in 2015? Let us know in the comments below!
