Donatello (Golden Harvest/Imagi)

Donatello was indeed the intellectual of the group, scientifically, but also was quite the comedian. He struck up a strong friendship with Casey Jones and the two playfully insulted each other frequently while fixing an old pickup truck. He was also often seen palling around with Michelangelo, the two of them taking to making jokes and commenting on situations while their brothers quarreled. Oddly, though, Donatello has a comedic inability to match his brothers' surfer slang throughout the first three movies, instead using nonsensical terms such as "bossa nova", "a cappella", "Chevy Nova", and "eclectic".

In the second movie his knowledge and scientific originality were brought to the forefront and he was instrumental in developing the anti mutagen that reverted Tokka and Rahzar to their animal forms. As further evidence of his mechanical inclination, he is also shown hacking into a computer at T.G.R.I. There is also evidence in this film that Donatello shows great emotional support for his little brother, Michelangelo, in a more obvious way; unlike Leonardo and Raphael. He also related to Professor Jordan Perry on a personal and professional level, as they both rack their brains to create an anti-mutagen for Shredder's newly evolved mutant-monsters.

In the third, and final, live action film, Donatello's knowledge comes to the forefront in explaining the principals of the time machine that sends the turtles back to ancient Japan. As he tells the other turtles, for every person that is sent backward in time, another person must be sent forward in time. Therefore, the time machine, a sceptre, must be held by the same number of people in both the past and the future for the "cosmic trade" to be made. Donatello's insight's allows the turtles to return to modern day New York.

Donatello fell in to a leader-esque role, keeping the group together in Leonardo's absence whilst working online as an IT Tech Support. Although he tried his best, the three were moving in separate directions with their lives.

With Leo's return the group once again came together, and Donatello helped his brothers in ridding the earth of Max Winters' evil generals.

Cameos
In All Tomorrow's Yesterdays, the Turtles in their fourth film incarnation were shown in a universe-splitting scene, showing different incarnations of characters. The first film's Turtles were also seen in the "Multiverse" collage in Turtles Forever.