Turtles Forever

Turtles Forever (also known as Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Turtles Forever or TMNT: Turtles Forever) is a 2009 animated movie that was produced by the TV company called 4Kids Entertainment. Produced in celebration of the 25th anniversary of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles franchise. The special aired on 4KidsTV in November of the same year. A DVD was released August 24, 2010.

The movie features the Turtles from 4kids' own series meeting up with the light-hearted, campy, child-friendly Murakami Wolf-Swenson Turtles, along with several secondary characters in an adventure that spans multiple parallel universes. It also marks the finale to the 2003 animated series. A rough, nearly finished version of the film premiered at the San Diego Comic Con in July 2009. On July 15, 2009, it was confirmed that completely newly designed versions of Tokka and Rahzar would also make an appearance. Voice actor Wayne Grayson has also hinted that the Mirage characters may appear. This was confirmed during the showing at SDCC 2009.

Turtles Forever was planned for release in theatres on Thursday October 29, 2009 for one night only. , but due to disputes between 4Kids Entertainment and Fathom this was later canceled

The CW4kids debuted the film on November 21, 2009 after the 25th anniversary Top 10 Countdown. An encore showing aired from November 28 to December 12, split into three 23-minute episodes. A third showing of the movie aired on March 20 the following year. A fourth showing aired on May 29. The uncut version of film appeared on the CW4kids's website on December 16 that included 8 minutes of footage cut from the version that aired on TV. The movie was released on non-anamorphic widescreen DVD on August 24, 2010 from Nickelodeon/Paramount Pictures home entertainment. The DVD release contains the TV edit. On August 29, 2010, Nickelodeon aired the movie on the channel for the first time, then aired again on Thanksgiving Day of 2010.



Plot
When a battle between the Purple Dragons and what appear to be the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles is captured on film, the Turtles are quick to refute their master Splinter's accusations of carelessness. Breaking into the Purple Dragons' headquarters to get to the bottom of these mysterious doppelgangers, our Turtles discover that their "impostors" are, in fact, versions of them from another dimension.

The goofy other dimensional "1987 Turtles" prove to be a hassle for the more serious-minded "2003 Turtles", but they are soon able to discern that they were teleported into their world in a dimensional portal accident that has also brought their arch-enemies, Shredder and Krang, and their battle fortress, the Technodrome, along with them. The eight Turtles head below the ground to track down the Technodrome, but their presence together only clues Shredder in to the fact that there may be a version of himself on this world that he can ally with to take the Turtles down.

The Technodrome escapes, and the Turtles resolve to create a portal device of their own so they can travel to the "1987 universe" and obtain the gear the 1987 Turtles usually use to take the Technodrome down. While the Turtles are occupied with this task, Shredder uses the Technodrome's technology to locate his dimensional counterpart, the Utrom known as Ch'rell, still in frozen exile on an ice asteroid after his final defeat by the 2003 Turtles. Ch'rell is teleported to the Technodrome, but upon recovering, immediately overthrows his bumbling other-self and seizes control of the fortress with the aid of his adopted daughter, Karai, who had been monitoring his movements and tracked him down after realizing he had escaped his frozen prison.

Using Dimension X technology and Utrom science to create a new robotic exoskeleton for himself, Ch'rell dispatches his right-hand man Hun, who has been mutated into a monstrous mutant turtle himself after being doused with mutagen from the 1987 universe in the earlier battle, to track the Turtles down. With the aid of Bebop and Rocksteady, Hun finds and attacks the Turtles lair, but the eight reptiles complete a dimensional portal stick (conceived by the 1988 Donatello) and escape to the 1988 universe. Unfortunately, Splinter is captured by Hun and brought before the Utrom Shredder to serve as bait in a trap.

The Many Universes in the Turtle's Multiverse





The 2003 Turtles meet the 1987 universe versions of April O'Neil and Splinter, and then return to the 2003 universe with the 1987 Turtles vehicles: the Party Wagon and Turtle Blimp. However, they discover that in their absence, the Utrom Shredder has fused the sciences of the Utroms and Dimension X and rebuilt the Technodrome as a truly terrifying war machine, filled with legions of improved robotic Foot Soldiers and mutated Purple Dragons. Entering the fortress to recover Splinter, the Turtles are defeated, and Utrom Shredder then reveals his master plan: While using 1987 Shredder's equipment to survey the Multiverse in his plan to conquer it, he has discovered that there are not just the Turtles of the 1987 world and the 2003 world, but hundreds of them. Knowing that the turtles of those dimensions would stand in his way to conquer those worlds, Utrom Shredder decided to destroy them all by eliminating the original &quot;Prime&quot; universe. The Utrom Shredder scans the eight Turtles to locate the base similarities between them that will pinpoint the location of "Turtle Prime", and the brothers apparently do not survive the process. Once The Utrom Shredder has teleported the Technodrome away across the dimensions to Turtle Prime, however, the Turtle reappear, having been saved by Karai, who has realized that the Shredder's mad ambition would also cause their own destruction.

With their world being erased around them as the Utrom Shredder's plan goes into motion, the Turtles break into Purple Dragon headquarters again to appropriate some of the tech the criminals stole, in order to upgrade their dimensional portal stick and follow the Utrom Shredder to Turtle Prime. With the aid of a repentant Hun, they accomplish their task and are whisked away to the grim, gritty and monochrome world from whence all Turtle realities sprang. They are attacked by the native "Mirage Turtles", but eventually manage to convince their ferocious progenitors that they need their help to save all of creation.

The twelve Turtles, with the aid of Splinter, Karai, and even the 1987 Shredder and Krang, engage the Utrom Shredder in battle, but he grows to massive height using molecular amplification technology from Dimension X. When the Utrom Shredder is accidentally clipped by the energy beam from the Technodrome, however, his armor is damaged, and the Turtles all try to force him into the beam ... before it is abruptly cut off when Rocksteady trips over the power cable and unplug it. The Utrom Shredder takes this opportunity to grab the four Mirage Turtles and begins crushing them. At the last minute, the 1987 Turtles throw explosive throwing stars at him, causing him to trip and drop the Mirage Turtles. The Utrom Shredder resumes his attack - until Bebop plugs the beam power cable back in and thus inadvertently obliterate the Utrom Shredder.

With their foe defeated, the Turtles watch as their respective realities restore themselves. The 1987 cast take the Technodrome and return to their homeworld, while the 2003 Turtles use the portal stick to return to theirs. The Mirage Turtles decide to go get some pizza to eat ... as somewhere else, across time and space, Peter Laird and Kevin Eastman put the finishing touches on the first issue of Eastman and Laird's Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, expressing the hope that the book will sell.

Turtles Forever Characters
The following characters appear:

1987 Series Characters
 * April O'Neil (Rebecca Soler)
 * Bebop (Bradford Cameron)
 * Donatello (Anthony Haden Salerno)
 * Foot Soldiers
 * Irma Langinstein (Cameo non-speaking)
 * Krang (Bradford Cameron)
 * Leonardo (Dan Green)
 * Michelangelo (Johnny Castro)
 * Raphael (Sebastian Arcelus)
 * Rocksteady (Johnny Castro)
 * Scrag (Cameo non-speaking)
 * Shredder (Load Williams)
 * Splinter (David Wills)

2003 Series Characters
 * April O'Neil (Veronica Taylor)
 * Casey Jones (Marc Thompson)
 * Cyber Foot Ninja
 * Cyber Foot Techs
 * Donatello (Sam Riegel)
 * Hun (Greg Carey)
 * Karai (Karen Neil)
 * Leonardo (Michael Sinterniklaas)
 * Michelangelo (Wayne Grayson)
 * Police Officers Eastman and Laird
 * Purple Dragons
 * Raphael (John Campbell)
 * Splinter (Darren Dunstan)
 * Utrom Shredder (Scottie Ray)
 * Rahzar
 * Tokka

Mirage Characters  Miscellaneous
 * Donatello (Pete Capella)
 * Leonardo (Jason Griffith)
 * Michelangelo| (Bradford Cameron)
 * Raphael (Sean Schemmel)
 * Shredder (David Wills)
 * Kevin Eastman (offscreen, voiced by himself)
 * Peter Laird (offscreen, voiced by himself)

Nods and References

 * When the Turtles arrive in the "1987 dimension", the camera briefly shows "Ninja Pizza". In this restaurant, owned by the Foot, the Turtles and April first go to eat in the pilot of the 1987 animated series.
 * The human forms of Bebop and Rocksteady make a cameo appearance when the 2003 Turtles arrive in the 1988 universe. The other members of their former punk gang also appear, including the ones later mutated into a lizard, bear, and bat in the episode Hot Rodding Teenagers from Dimension X.
 * Mirage Leonardo's narration quotes the comics quite a bit, with ones like "Donatello takes out a third with his staff." and "Raph loves this stuff.", although there is error in the second one, as it was Raphael's full name in the comic.
 * Once the Shredder is defeated, Mirage Leonardo says, "The Shredder has been shredded." This is a direct quote from the comics.
 * Mirage Leonardo's ending narrative for the movie parallels the ending narrative for TMNT Issue #1.
 * When the Turtles are captured by the Shredder, he shows them almost every universe, such as the live action films, anime, 2007 movie, and even ones within the 2003 show, as well as other continuities entirely.
 * When Hun has been mutated, he bears resemblance to Slash, a character from the 1987 incarnation and Archie Comics.
 * In a self-parody, the 1980s Turtles openly walk in public, as they did in the original series, although they scare the humans in the 2003 universe.
 * The Mirage Shredder enters almost exactly the same way he did in the comics, to the same exact taunts.
 * The Mirage Shredder is easily defeated, possibly in reference to the fact that he was killed in the very first issue.
 * There are three instances where 1988 Raphael breaks the fourth wall with a joke as he does in the 1987 series. This prompts 2003 Raphael and Hun to look at the camera and ask who he's talking to.
 * When 2003 Donatello points out the Mirage Turtles when first arriving in "Turtle Prime", they are shown in a similar pose to the cover of TMNT Issue #1.
 * When Mirage Donatello asks, "What's with the multicolored headbands?", this is a reference to the fact that the original Mirage Turtles all wear red bandannas. The other Turtles are called "Sellouts" by the originals as well, possibly referencing sentiments of Mirage comics fans in the late 1980's after the debut of the more child-friendly Saturday morning cartoon and the subsequent marketing of the Turtles in nearly every way possible.
 * When the camera pans on the 1988 dimension street, several characters make brief cameos; Irma, the gang members that chased April into the sewers, and people the Turtles encountered on the street in the first episode.
 * When 2003 Raphael says "Geez, it's like having five Mikeys now!" after hearing 2003 Michelangelo and the 1987 turtles yell "Cowabunga!", it's a reference to the way he kept on stopping 2003 Michelangelo from saying 1987 catchphrases.
 * The fly that was accidentally mutated before the 2003 Turtles rescues their 1988 counterparts was possibly a nod to the 1987 Baxter Stockman.
 * The device Bebop, Rocksteady, and Hun use to track the team was first seen in 1987 series episode Beware the Lotus.
 * When 1987 Leonardo says, "Uh oh, the boys in blue", when the police arrive at the pizza parlor, this is a reference in the 1987 series where the turtles often refer to the police as "the boys in blue" whenever they appear.
 * During the fight scene right before the Technodrome teleports to Turtle Prime, two of the mutated soldiers are modeled after Tokka and Razar from the second live action movie.
 * Whenever Mikey sees the initials on the 80's Turtles' belts, he notes that they are like super heroes. This could be a nod to his run-ins with Super Heroes in both the 80's and 2003 series.'
 * The exploding throwing stars was once used in the 1987 series to blow up the side of the Technodrome in the season 2 finale "Return of the Technodrome".
 * After the 2003 Turtles save the 1987 Turtles from the Purple Dragon, Mikey quotes Dot Warner from Animaniacs by saying, "We can't help it, We were born that way!" Video It could be because Rob Paulsen, who voiced Raph in the 80's, series voiced Yakko in Animaniacs.
 * After the 2003 turtles,1987 turtles and 2003 Splinter defeated Hun's mutated man who became an antromorphic dog, when the 2003 Leonardo addressed the 2003 Splinter as father, the 1987 Leonardo was shocked. This is proberly due to the difference of the relationship between the 2003 turtles and 1987 turtles with their respective Splinter.
 * When both the 2003 and 1987 turtles arrived in the dimension of the 1987 turtles, one of the 1987 turtles said they save their April everyday. This is probably a reference to how the 1987 turtles save their April in many episodes.

Continuity Errors

 * 1987 Turtles explain that they arrived in the 2003 universe the following way by invading the Technodrome and trying to send it back to Dimension X, but it was damaged, causing it to send them to the 2003 universe instead. However, this does not account for how the 1987 Turtles got out of the Technodorme after entering the 2003 universe. They simply say "They woke up here" and starting fighting badguys.
 * BeBop and Rocksteady are in their mutated form throughout the movie. Yet when the Turtles arrive in the 1987 universe the human versions of BeBop and Rocksteady are seen walking the streets.
 * While scanning the universe, 1987 Shredder mentions that there is no "Krang" in the 2003 dimension. This is not true as an Utrom named Krang had a short cameo in the "Secret Origins" 3 part episode.
 * Granted, that was done as a throw away gag. Also the Utrom Krang was only a cameo and never did anything of importance in the series. He may not have been worthy to note by the scanners. Since the scanner also doesn't pick up the Tengu or Cyber Shredders it means it is probably searching for the "exact match" which Utrom Krang might not have been.
 * The 1987 turtles have no problems with revealing themselves to the public. But in the original series, they wore disguises to hide their identities (usually with trench coats, fedora hats and masks).
 * There were actually many episodes that had the Turtles in a pizzeria without any types of disguises, particularly in Season 6.
 * Also the season 3 episode 3 of the 1987 series ("Turtles on Trial") had the Ninja Turtles going on a popular television news show because a newscaster had accused them of being menaces to society. This shows that those version of the Turtles were known to the public.
 * Use of costumes in the 1987 show were inconsistent to say the least, but the precedent to going in public unmasked is there.
 * 1987 Michelangelo uses nunchucks. From season 4 of the original series until the end of its run in 1996, Michelangelo uses a grappling hook as his weapon of choice because of censorship issues with nunchucks in Europe.
 * The 1987 Turtles are all saying Cowabunga but in the original classic series, Michalenangelo was the only one who said that and the others Turtles said Go, Green Machine, and Turtle Power.
 * It is not explained how Karai learned that Ch'rell was back on Earth and imprisoned in the Technodrome underground.
 * Actually it is explained. It is in the director's cut of the movie, which was on 4Kids website. Karai explains that she maintained a "vigil" on her father by keeping her scanners on him in his frozen prison. When he was moved against her wishes (by Shredder and Krang) she scanned for him and found him in the Technodrome.
 * Some fans take issue with Karai aiding Ch'rell (aka 2003 Shredder); arguing that it goes against her resolution to move on at the end of the Lost Season. The Back to the Sewers season also seems to confirm her intentions to move on, as she does not aid, and in fact opposes Cyber Shredder, despite him being explained as a digital clone of the Utrom Shredder in the event of the latter's departure.
 * The director's cut explains Karai's intentions a little better. She was making sure her father never moved from his frozen prison. The fact that she never saved him herself shows some resolve to not involve herself with him. Yet, when Shredder and Krang moved him she had go to the Technodrome to find out why he was removed. Even if she moved on in her heart, she would need to make sure something terrible wasn't being done to/by him. She may have been overcome by the finally seeing her true father once again and agreed to help him again. The fact that she betrays him again when his evil becomes clearer shows she reaffirmed her original resolution.
 * 2K3 Donatello says a dimensional portal in a stick is "silly" forgetting that he and Michelangelo were banished into alternate universes when Ultimate Drako used the Time Sceptre against them in "Reality Check".
 * However the time sceptre was a magical device, whereas what 1987 Donatello was suggesting was a portable technological alternative to far larger and much more complex devices such as the time window. This may account for 2003 Donatello's trepidation.
 * During the 2K3 Turtles' rescue of the '87 Turtles, 2K3 Leonardo says "Raph, look out!" prompting both Raphaels to dodge the laser, causing them both to reply "Thanks, bro!" However, it is 2K3 Raphael and '87 MICHELANGELO that dodge the laser.
 * The 1987 Turtles didn't all act as wacky in the original series. They may have been wackier compared to the 2K3 Turtles, but even 1987 Leonardo was a serious leader in the original series.
 * Although the 1987 Turtles were serious in the flashback when they were fighting the 1987 Shredder in their own homeworld. All they had was angry attack faces and shocked faces. They were also serious when they were explaining to 2003 Splinter and 2K3 Turtles of how they got to their dimension.

Trivia

 * Initially Turtles Forever was going to be a 2-part episode in the BTTS season It was going to be episode 167 and 168. Later it was decided to make a stand-alone movie.
 * This seems destined to be the finale to the current Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles franchise and the original 1987 TV show, as the rights to the Turtles now belong to Nickelodeon.
 * Among all of the incarnations of the Turtles that appeared in this movie, the 2003 Turtles are the tallest. The Mirage versions are the shortest.
 * None of the voice actors from the 1987 series reprised their roles in the special (there are reports that 4Kids were unable to hire union actors). It turned out to be too expensive based on the logistics of 4Kids being in NYC and those actors residing elsewhere.
 * With Ch'rell out of the picture, the 1988 Shredder and Krang presumably have access to Utrom technology since the former upgraded the Technodrome and the Foot Soldiers.


 * The ending theme is a edited version of a rejected opening theme for the 2003 series


 * This is the first TMNT Movie to belong to Nickelodeon on DVD.


 * Several scenes were cut from the movie before it aired on television.
 * This is the version found on the DVD. Nickelodeon has yet to release any information regarding the complete version of the movie.
 * Although it is considered not to be canon with the main series the first episode of back to the sewers did give the hint that Ch'rell would return from his exile when the turtles were tranported to the timeline with the 3 way Shredder war.
 * Both Karai and Hun refer to Ch'rell in this movie as the One True Shredder, although that Shredder to mention was a human warrior in the 4th century Japan who made a deal with a demon (2003 series).
 * If 2003 Shredder succeded in destroying all the Mirage Turtles then he might have destroyed the past, present, and future Power Rangers due to the Turtles and Power Rangers Space Crossover.
 * This film is actually a "sequel" after the final season of TMNT 2003.
 * The 2003 Turtles' eyes don't have pupils, unlike the 2003 Turtles in BTTS, who have more details in the eyes, But in every season before BTTS, the turtles have the same eyes as they do in this movie.

Quotes
2003 Turtles: "It's ninja time!"

1987 Turtles: "Turtle power!"

1987 Turtles: "Go green machine"

1987 Turtles: "Lets Turtlize Em"

1987 Turtles: "Turtles fight with Honor!"

1987 Turtles: "Cowabunga!"

- Just in case you forgot their iconic catchphrases.

2003 Leonardo: (stabbing a foot soldier and and shocked when it exploded) Robots?

2003 Michelangelo: EXPLODING robots! Heheh!

2003 Raphael: (destroying foot soldiers) Yeah! Who wants some!? Yeah! (1988 Donatello smashes the remaining foot soldiers with a rolling boulder, much to 2003 Raphael's annoyance)

1987 Donatello: Steeee-rike!

2003 Raphael: I'LL GIVE YA A STRIKE!!! REKAFRAKAGAGA!!! (stomps angrily)

1987 Michelangelo: Wow, what a hardcase!

2003 Michelangelo: Bro, I could tell you stories.

2003 Leonardo: Hun mentioned the "One True Shredder".

2003 Raphael: And you know what that means...

2003 Michelangelo: Our little alien Utrom is back!

1987 Raphael: "Utrom Shredder"? Sounds Swedish.

1987 Turtles: Hahahahahahahahahahahahaha!

2003 Michelangelo: Stop it, stop it, STOP IT! Can't you guys be serious about ANYTHING!?

2003 Raphael: Was that a mutant... banana?

2003 Michelangelo: This dimension is seriously messed up.
 * - The 2003 Turtles experience weird culture shock

1987 Donatello: Okay guys, here's everything we need to take down the Technodrome: exploding throwing stars, anti-Technodrome roller skates, SPF-1000 sunblock...

1987 Raphael: (brings out pizza boxes) And I got the pizzas! We're good to go!

2003 Turtles: O_O

2003 Leonardo: You're joking, right?

2003 Raphael: We came all the way to wacky world for THIS JUNK!?

2003 Michelangelo: No no no no no no no no NO!

2003 Leonardo: You don't understand. The Utrom Shredder isn't like your Shredder. He's vicious.

2003 Donatello: Lethal!

2003 Michelangelo: COMPETENT!

Mutant Hun: "Quick take it. Stop the Shredder before he AUAGHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!..............


 * - Mutant Hun's last words before being erased from existence.

Mutant Hun: (fighting 1987 Michaelangelo) Now I look in the mirror and all I see is you! And I hate you even more!

2003 Donatello: Hun, you don't understand. The Shredder-

Mutant Hun: Forget the Shredder. You're gonna pay for what you've done to me!

1987 Raphael: (to the camera) Some people just can't handle change.

Mutant Hun(looking at the same direction which 1988 Raphael did): Why do you keep doing that?! Who are you talking to?! THERE'S NO ONE﻿ THERE!


 * - Mutant Hun laments his new appearance and his lack of understanding of how the fourth wall works.

Mirage Leonardo: What is this? Eight wanna-be's?

Mirage Donatello: On our turf?

Mirage Michaelangelo: Trying to steal our act?

Mirage Raphael: Yeah!

Mirage Leonardo: (narrating) I strike two on my way down. (Mirage Leonardo strikes down 2003 Leonardo and 2003 Rapahel) Donatello takes out a third with his staff. (Mirage Donatello strikes down 2003 Michelangelo. The 1987 Turtles pull out their weapons as Mirage Raphael twirls his sai while facing them. They immediately tremble in fear and drop their weapons before attempting to run away, but Mirage Raphael trips them by throwing his sai at their feet.)

Mirage Leonardo: (narrating) Already, the pudgy ones are starting to panic. Raph loves this stuff. He's not alone.

2003 Donatello: Why is he narrating? Is he crazy!?

2003 Michaelangelo: Hardcore crazy!

2003 Raphael: I LOVE THESE GUYS!


 * - 2003 Raphael and sociopathic Turtles, BFFs!

Mirage Michaelangelo: So you're supposed to be us from other worlds. I don't see it.

Mirage Donatello: What's with the multi-colored headbands?

Mirage Raphael: Hmph, sellouts.

2003 Raphael: Uh... (grabs 1987 Leonardo by the shell) Well, check out the initialized belt buckles on these yahoos.

1987 Donatello, 1987 Raphael, 1987 Michelangelo: Hey!

2003 Raphael: How lame can a turtle get?(rising his hand for a high three) Am I right?(2003 Raphael's raised hand is immediately twisted behind his back by Mirage Raphael, then kicks him forward)

2003 Raphael: Hey, ow! Geez, what a hardcase! (He sees the 1987 Turtles smile at him.)

2003 Raphael: What?

1987 Leonardo, 1987 Donatello, 1987 Raphael, 1987 Michelangelo: Nothing.


 * - Next time, do not diss the belt buckles.

Mirage Leonardo(nudging 2003 Leonardo): Leonardo. Seriously, for your own good, your bro should lay off the dimensional hopping business - it's dangerous

2003 Leonardo: Bros? (turning to all 1987 and 2003 turtles) We're bros!

Mirage Donatello: I'm gonna miss those wanna-be's.

Mirage Michaelangelo: Yeah, I kinda dug the initials on the belt buckles.

Mirage Raphael: Hmph, you would. I could go for a slice, though.

Mirage Leonardo: There's that place on Bleecker.

Mirage Leonardo: (narrating) We are the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. We strike hard and fade away into the night.

Peter Laird: I think this first issue is coming along rather well. Don't you, Kev?

Kevin Eastman: Yeah, sure do, Pete. Hey, let's get back to this after lunch, huh?

Peter Laird: Hmmm, sounds good. Pizza?

Kevin Eastman: Yeah, pizza.

Peter Laird: Oh, I hope this thing sells.

Kevin Eastman: Yeah, I was thinking the same thing. ''(chuckles)  '(As Kevin and Peter leave for lunch, the camera pans to the cover of the comics' first issue.) ''


 * - An iconic ending to an iconic series.....until the Nickelodeon version comes out.

Turtles Forever