Turtles Forever

Turtles Forever is a direct-to-DVD/made-for-tv animated movie that was produced by 4Kids Entertainment. A rough, nearly finished version of the film has its premiere at the San Diego Comic Con on July 24, 2009. The full version DVD is expected to release sometime thereafter, with the special airing on the CW4Kids station in November.

What has been confirmed is that the Turtles from 4kids' own series will meet up with the Murakami Wolf-Swenson Turtles, along with several secondary characters. 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 this was later canceled

The CW4kids debuted the film on November 21, 2009. It has also been announced that the uncut version of film will appear on the CW4kids's website on December 16 that includes 12 minutes of footage cut from the version that aired on TV. 

Plot


The 1987 Turtles are transported to the 2003 dimension while they are battling with the 1987 Shredder in the Technodrome. When the 2003 turtles meet the 1987 versions, they dislike them (Except Mikey, as he finds them to be humorous until later), finding them too goofy and immature. Meanwhile, using the Cross-Dimensional Portal, the 1987 Shredder and Krang bring the 2003 Utrom Shredder back to Earth. In a utterly unflattering turn about, Utrom Shredder and his minions easily subdue, humiliate, berate, and down play 1987 Shredder and Krang and to further this 'take that' to the original 80s cartoon, the Utrom Shredder proceeds to use the Foot Soldiers, Technodrome, and Mutagen to frightening effectiveness.

Hun is mutated into a gigantic turtle and joins forces with the 2003 Shredder. He battles the eight turtles but they escape to the 1987 dimension. Splinter is kidnapped and brought to the Technodrome. After meeting 1987 April and Splinter, the eight turtles then return to the 2003 dimension to rescue Splinter, but they are beaten. Shredder then reveals his master plan. He has discovered that there are not merely two dimensions, but several

- including the movie versions and various tv/comic adaptations. He seeks to destroy all incarnations of the ninja turtles by destroying the original "Turtle Prime"... a.k.a. the Mirage Turtles. Shredder vanishes with the Technodrome and the 2003 universe begins to erase.

After a brief battle with Mutant Hun, the eight turtles travel to the Mirage dimension and meet the original turtles, who are black and white and much darker than even the 2003 versions and also narrate their actions a la the comic books. The 12 turtles battle a gigantic Utrom Shredder who is eventually defeated .All turtles then return to their original dimensions, leaving the Mirage Turtles to discuss getting some pizza.

Then, a brief live-action scene shows the original issue of the Mirage comics being finished. The writer and artists' voices are heard talking, hoping the book will sell well.





TMNT 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)
 * Shredder (Load Williams)
 * Splinter (David Wills)

2003 Series Characters
 * April O'Neil (Veronica Taylor)
 * Casey Jones (Marc Thompson)
 * 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)
 * Shredder (Scottie Ray)

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

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 1987 universe. Another member of their former punk gang also appears, walking alongside Rocksteady and ignores Bebop completely.
 * 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 in 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. The only one not seen is The Next Mutation, most likely due to Laird and Eastman disowning the show.
 * When Hun has been mutated, he bears resemblance to Slash, a character from the 1987 incarnation.
 * 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 more realistic 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.
 * The 2003 Shredder uses at least 2 of Krang's plans, one of them being that he turns himself into a giant in order to destroy the Turtles.
 * 2003 Donatello says in response to 1987 Donatello building a transdimensional portal stick, "We've seen time traveling windows, cyber-mat transporters, but dimensional portal in a stick? It sounds, uh, silly!" referencing both Fast Forward and Back to the Sewers events. The "uh, silly" comment may be a reference to the plot of the third live-action movie.
 * There are three instances where 1987 Raphael breaks the fourth wall with a joke as he does in the 1987 series. This prompts 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 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 subsequent marketing of the turtles in nearly every way possible.
 * When the camera pans on the 1987 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 1987 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 Hun has the 1987 turtles captutred, 1987 mikey asks if Hun were expecting "someone else". This is a nod to the third live action film, where Donatello asks if they were expecting the Addams Family.
 * When 2003 Raphael tell the 1987 turtles not to "get cute" 1987 Michelangelo says they were "born that way" in an Animaniacs reference.

Continuity Errors

 * During the search for allies to help defeat the Turtles, 1987 Shredder mentioned that there was no Krang in the 2003 dimension, which 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 and the Utrom Krang never did anything of importance in the series.
 * The 2007 movie was shown as separate to the live action universe, possibly suggesting that the 2007 movie is a different universe altogether. However, evidence in that movie (namely, Splinter's miniature shrine seen at the end) suggests otherwise.

Trivia

 * 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).


 * The Mirage Turtles are rather brutal. They beat on their counterparts without finding out who they are to begin with, speak through gritted teeth, insult and belittle their counterparts at any given chance, and generally give off this aura that they're utterly unapproachable, as evidenced with Mirage Raphael arm-locking and tossing aside 2003 Raphael when he tries to befriend them.
 * Ch'rell finally dies in this movie (though Splinter and Karai both believe that he is not truly dead, either that or that a new Shredder will rise.)
 * Ch'rell gets the honor of dropping the title of the franchise.
 * With Ch'rell out of the picture, the 1987 Shredder and Krang presumably have access to Utrom Technology since the former upgraded the Technodrome and the foot soldiers.
 * Serling and Klunk are absent in the movie.