TMNT Took Over the World… Then It All Fell Apart

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles started as a gritty black-and-white indie comic in 1984, and somehow became one of the biggest franchises on the planet. From the 1987 cartoon and the Playmates toy empire to the live-action movie trilogy, the legendary arcade games, a string of reboots, and the darkest comic story ever told, TMNT has gone through one of the wildest rises, falls, and comebacks in pop culture history. And in 2026, the franchise is entering its biggest shake-up in 40 years. —————————————————————————— 🔔 Subscribe for more deep dives into the franchises that defined our childhood. 📌 Watch next: X-Men Was Bigger Than The Avengers…Then What Happened? →    • X-Men Was Bigger Than The Avengers…Then Wh...   —————————————————————————— WHAT'S COVERED: → The comics origin — Eastman, Laird, and the 1984 parody that became a phenomenon → The 1987 cartoon — how it softened the Turtles and made them Saturday morning royalty → The Playmates toy story — how a toy line expanded the universe faster than the show could → The movie trilogy — the Henson-suit hit of 1990, and how the sequels lost the edge → The video games — the legendary arcade cabinet, Turtles in Time, and Shredder's Revenge → The fall — Next Mutation, Venus de Milo, and the identity crisis of the late 90s → The rebuild — the 2003 series and the 2007 CGI movie → The modern era — Nickelodeon's 2012 revival, the Bay films, and Rise → The Last Ronin — the IDW comic that changed what TMNT could be → What's next — Mutant Mayhem 2, Krang and Shredder teaming up, Mattel taking over toys, and the new Last Ronin video game CHAPTERS: 00:00 — TMNT Became the Biggest Franchise on Earth… Then What Happened? 02:23 — The Rise: 1984 to 1989 05:10 — The Toy Empire 06:49 — The Movies: 1990 to 1993 08:45 — The Unforgettable Games 12:26 — The Fall: Mid-1990s 14:01 — The Rebuild: 2003 to 2007 16:03 — The Modern Era: 2012 to 2018 18:38 — The Comics Get Serious 20:46 — Legacy & What's Next ©Music provided by DreamWave Kingdom© Watch the original movie here: •    • 1983 SynthWave RetroWave [ No Copyright FR...   —————————————————————————— 📋 Copyright Disclaimer Some material in this video is used under the Fair Use doctrine (Section 107 of the Copyright Act) for purposes of commentary, criticism, education, or transformative content. All rights belong to their respective copyright holders. No infringement is intended. If you are a rights holder with concerns, please contact us directly before taking action, and we will resolve them promptly. #tmnt #teenagemutantninjaturtles #80scartoons #80snostalgia