The continuity of the TMNT (2007) movie

[Bo Staff.]

I've been wondering if this movie is in the same continuity as the first three movies, or if it's in the same continuity as the 2K3 series. It's confusing, because, Leo and Raph sound more like their 2K3 voices than they do their 1990s trilogy voices. Also, because April and Casey look like their 2K3 selves.
At the same time, there are undeniable connections to the first three movies: The Shredder is apparently "dead," the turtles don't know who Karai is yet, and the items from the first three movies appear on a shelf at the end. (Shredder's helmet, ooze canister, time scepter).

[chrisdude]

I think it was just meant to be the turtles - later. I think they knew their audience was going to be made up of fans from different eras, and chose not to pick one continuity.

[Dawnatello Turtle Chick]

I think it was just meant to be the turtles - later. I think they knew their audience was going to be made up of fans from different eras, and chose not to pick one continuity.

Agreed, I think the "tokens" if you will, shown on the shelf at the end are more of a nod to TMNT's roots (as far as the movies go) and not really anything further. I guess kind of a homage to the movies that came before.

[Donatello19]

I'd say it's a toss up of the original movies and 2K3...

[hitmonkey]

For me, I think it's about as connected to the old movies as Batman Forever was to Tim Burton's Batman movies. A few elements remained, but overall it felt like a new entry point into that universe.

[Testudo]

For me, I think it's about as connected to the old movies as Batman Forever was to Tim Burton's Batman movies. A few elements remained, but overall it felt like a new entry point into that universe.

Except in this case it was better than what came before.

[Lord Nightwalker]

Didn't they themselves confirm it was in continuity with the first three? I am pretty sure they did say that somewhere.

[MsMarvelDuckie]

I don't recall them ever saying that. Also, they DID know who Karai was- when they first encountered her and the Foot at the construction site, Leo obviously recognized her. (He never called her by name, but he did ask "What are YOU doing here?" implying they'd met before.) And there was no real indication that there was any connection to the first three movies- they are living in a completely different lair, to start, Karai was never in the first three, and the only links AT ALL were the items at the end- which probably fall more into the category of "Easter eggs". It looks more like the 2K3 style and story-wise, including April's training, her lack of being a reporter, and the more sci-fi tone, as opposed to being more grounded in "real life" like the first three movies.

[Toby Barrett]

I don't believe it takes place in the same continuity of the original trilogy at all.

[CyberCubed]

I actually like it as part of the Nick continuity now, with everyone being older around age 18 (which also explains why April and Karai look the same age in the 4th movie).

You just have to ignore the part where the Turtles seem to meet Karai for the first time, but other than that it feels like the movie can take place 3 years after the Nick show.

[Jester]

Depends on what you look at...some of the children's books place it in the 4kids Universe....or at least migrate Silver Sentry into the movie universe.

[Powder]

I like that it more or less permits any sort of head-canon within reason, despite any official status. I personally put it in the 4kids universe, but I appreciate other peoples POV on it too.

[FlogginMcMurryZombiePizza]

Since being on here, I have decided it best fits wherever you want it to.
It works, more or less, in any of the incarnations. It's set far enough into their later Teen years that none of the other property have gone out that far.

I do believe it was stated to be in connection with the first 3 films but I do remember hearing somewhere it would still be closer to continuity with movies 1 and 2 and not so much 3 (being that it only really had a nod with the scepter at the end).

BUT... it's there to take it as you will, I think.
I also noticed it's not particularly a favored movie around here (as it seems). Because of that, I dont think it hurts anyone when they place it in continuity with anything before it or after it.
I enjoy it as a 4th film and the "ending" point of the original movies before Bay's team releases the rebooted live action/CG hybrid.
I have always wanted to see a "TMNT 2" CGI film, maybe with a stronger story and villains.

Didn't they themselves confirm it was in continuity with the first three? I am pretty sure they did say that somewhere.
I remember reading that somewhere too... but this was back in the MySpace days lol

Agreed, I think the "tokens" if you will, shown on the shelf at the end are more of a nod to TMNT's roots (as far as the movies go) and not really anything further. I guess kind of a homage to the movies that came before.
I always liked that they had a trophy room. It's something that's not really been shown in anything else (that I can think of). It also, to me, makes it feel more like it's in continuity with the movies before it.

I think it was just meant to be the turtles - later. I think they knew their audience was going to be made up of fans from different eras, and chose not to pick one continuity.
I also think they wanted to tell a "later" tale of the Turtles too...
Which was great without having to reboot the series, go over the origin again, and do something that hasn't yet been done in the mainstream.

Except in this case it was better than what came before.

I really hope you weren't talking about the better film being Batman Forever versus the original Batman and Batman Returns...

[TMNachoT]

Peter Laird said it is placed in his own universe

[ToTheNines]

I actually like it as part of the Nick continuity now, with everyone being older around age 18 (which also explains why April and Karai look the same age in the 4th movie).

You just have to ignore the part where the Turtles seem to meet Karai for the first time, but other than that it feels like the movie can take place 3 years after the Nick show.


I like that it more or less permits any sort of head-canon within reason, despite any official status. I personally put it in the 4kids universe, but I appreciate other peoples POV on it too.

... Makes no sense.

I can see where you're going Powder, especially considering the prequel comics. But there's still too many contradictions and really nothing in the actual movie that ties is to the 4kids series.

I don't believe it takes place in the same continuity of the original trilogy at all.

Agreed. It's like the creative team wanted to do their own thing, but were lazy and were just like "yeah go watch them other turtle movies first, I guess".

[Powder]

Well, I don't really read into it all that much. I don't necessarily think it's in 4kids canon, but like, it's the Archie to the OT. Something I consider based in its spirit and personality that went in a slightly different direction.

[Andrew NDB]

The facts:

* It was written and directed by Kevin Munroe.

* Kevin Munroe has said loudly and publicly from the beginning that it's in continuity with the first two movies.

* The movie (probably after my notes when I worked as consultant for WB on the movie along with one other) added some third movie stuff in the trophy room... that makes me think it's now in continuity with all 3 movies.

* Kevin Munroe has never said anything publicly about it being in continuity with anything other than the first two movies. Not 4Kids, not anything. The comic book tie-ins that Mirage drummed up with no involvement from Kevin Munroe to sort of ride the wave after the fact shouldn't really come into the equation either way.

Ergo, I take it as:

It's a direct sequel to the live action films. All of them. You can take the third film or leave it, doesn't matter... it's still a sequel to them, the first two if nothing else. As far as NT:TNM goes, it doesn't work with it (unless you assume Venus leaves at some point between NT:TNM and TMNT 2007) so after TMNT III you have a fork in the road and a choice: you can go to NT:TNM, or you can go to TMNT 2007, but you can't have both.

Seems pretty simple and plain to me. I don't know why it's such a point of contention 6 years later.

[Powder]

I wouldn't argue it's actual place in film continuity, personally. Despite that I disregard that entirely for my own theories, I wouldn't deny what the facts show, unlike some others.
I just prefer to go with my own ideas, even if they're just headcanon.

[chrisdude]

Last time we had a thread about this, I searched for this interview I vaguely remembered, and never found it. Today, it came right up in a search.

AV: How does your film fit into the Turtles universe? For instance, is it more of a continuation to the first three films, or the latest TV series?

KM: You know, it’s funny. There’s so much you can do. There’s so much in the Turtles’ past, as far as adventures and stuff. So, when we first started, we were trying to find what we were going to say – what was going to be lore and what wasn’t, for the movie. At the end of the day, we realized, “Let’s just make the whole thing lore.”

Basically, they’ve lived all these adventures, and they’ve defeated all these villains. Now they find themselves without direction, because they don’t have a common enemy to fight anymore. The movie became more about a rebirth of the heroes, instead of an origin story.

http://animatedviews.com/2007/director-kevin-munroe-on-tmnt/

[ToTheNines]

The facts:

* It was written and directed by Kevin Munroe.

* Kevin Munroe has said loudly and publicly from the beginning that it's in continuity with the first two movies.

See Chrisdudes post. I remember saying the first two movies would give you enough of a working knowledge to enjoy the movie, or something to that effect.

* The movie (probably after my notes when I worked as consultant for WB on the movie along with one other) added some third movie stuff in the trophy room... that makes me think it's now in continuity with all 3 movies.

The trophy room holds no weight in this argument. It has a couple of throw backs to the movies, yes, but it also has mousers and Triceraton gear and bunch of other sh*t that never happened in the movies. Shredder's helmet was destroyed in the first movie, and looked completely different after the second one. Also, I'm pretty sure the canister said "TCRI".

The trophy room was just a bunch of Easter eggs. Simple as that. You might as well say the 4kids cartoon is a sequel to the Fred Wolf show because Bebop had a cameo in Fast Forward.

* Kevin Munroe has never said anything publicly about it being in continuity with anything other than the first two movies. Not 4Kids, not anything. The comic book tie-ins that Mirage drummed up with no involvement from Kevin Munroe to sort of ride the wave after the fact shouldn't really come into the equation either way.

"After the fact"? They came out before the movie and were based upon Kevin Munroe's production notes.

Ergo, I take it as:

It's a direct sequel to the live action films. All of them. You can take the third film or leave it, doesn't matter... it's still a sequel to them, the first two if nothing else. As far as NT:TNM goes, it doesn't work with it (unless you assume Venus leaves at some point between NT:TNM and TMNT 2007) so after TMNT III you have a fork in the road and a choice: you can go to NT:TNM, or you can go to TMNT 2007, but you can't have both.

Seems pretty simple and plain to me. I don't know why it's such a point of contention 6 years later.

But they didn't bother to make it a sequel at all. There isn't anything that ties them together. Splinter's ear isn't chopped off, April's a completely different character, the list goes on.

[TMNachoT]

I can´t blieve that after all these years people don´t have official word about it. Anyway, I found this: http://peterlairdstmntblog.blogspot.com/2013/06/blast-from-past-654-april-1-2005-re.html#comment-form

[Testudo]

I really hope you weren't talking about the better film being Batman Forever versus the original Batman and Batman Returns...

"This case" being TMNT, obviously. Batman Forever and its sequel don't exist to me.

[BigMike322]

I thought Peter Laird said that it had nothing to do with the movies. It was a different universe.