It’s almost too easy to dismiss nostalgia as a marketing hook—until you hear the crunch of a sewer lid sliding open and that unmistakable “Cowabunga!” cuts through the static. Suddenly, you’re twelve years old again, clutching a slice of pepperoni, convinced that four mutated reptiles could keep New York safe.
Fathom Events has just dropped the fourth trailer—yes, the fourth—for the 35th Anniversary of Steve Barron’s 1990 Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, screening August 16–20, 2025 in theaters nationwide. It’s not just the film; it’s a full-blown Turtlemania revival, complete with an intro from Barron himself, rare production footage, and extended scenes that didn’t make the original cut. The Turtles Unmasked featurette (produced with the creators of TMNT: Evolution, Mutation & Reboot) peels back the latex to show the craft, chaos, and occasional absurdity of making what remains—against all odds—the definitive big-screen version.
Barron, an Irish-British filmmaker fresh off Electric Dreams at the time, treated the material with a grit that baffled studio execs and delighted fans. That balance—comic book absurdity grounded in alleyway grime—became the franchise’s gold standard, one that no sequel quite matched. Stars Brian Tochi (Leonardo), Corey Feldman (Donatello), Josh Pais (Raphael), and Robbie Rist (Michelangelo) gave the Turtles their voices, while Kevin Clash breathed warmth into Splinter. Judith Hoag’s April O’Neil and Elias Koteas’s Casey Jones anchored the madness in human stakes.
The trailer itself leans heavy into texture: grainy fight sequences, glistening sewer sets, and tactile costume work that CGI still can’t replicate. There’s a sly, knowing wink in the editing—almost like the film’s reminding us, they don’t make ‘em like this anymore. Which is true. They don’t. And that’s why the tickets are moving fast.
It’s worth remembering: in March 1990, this $13.5 million indie-spirited comic adaptation raked in $135 million domestically, shocking Hollywood and proving there was real money in so-called “kid stuff” if you played it straight. Decades later, the cultural heat remains. Maybe it’s the enduring chemistry of Eastman and Laird’s characters. Maybe it’s the absurd cool factor of watching a turtle wield nunchaku. Or maybe—just maybe—it’s that some stories never stop being fun to tell.
Anyway. The point is—this isn’t a background-screening kind of movie. It’s an “order the large popcorn, sit dead-center” kind of movie. And for one week in August, the sewers open again.
5 Things This TMNT 35th Anniversary Trailer Nails
Leaning Into the Grit
The muted city palette and damp, lived-in sets feel refreshing in a digital age.
Showcasing Lost Scenes
Extended cuts and rare footage promise something new even for die-hard fans.
Director’s Personal Touch
Steve Barron’s intro and commentary give the event a behind-the-curtain intimacy.
Uncompromised Practical Effects
Animatronics and puppetry still outshine the slickest CGI.
Event-Level Nostalgia
It’s more than a re-release—it’s a celebration that plays like a concert tour.
