Teenage Mutant Ninja TurtlesRobert DePalma

Background

Created by Mirage Studios in 1984 as a comic book.

Team of four teenage anthropomorphic turtlesTrained by their rat sensei in the art of

ninjutsuNamed after four Renaissance artists.

The Turtles

They reside in the sewers of ManhattanHave several cohorts that help them battle

battle petty criminals, evil megalomaniacs, and alien invaders,

Leonardo

Courageous leader-oldest of the fourDevoted student of martial artsMost Skilled fighterNamed after Leonardo da Vinci.

Rapheal

The team's bad boyWears a red mask Wields a pair of sai. Intense fighterHe is named after the Italian painter and

architect of the High Renaissance, Raphael.

Michelangelo

Wields a pair of nunchaku. Provides much of the comic relief.He is named after the Italian Renaissance

painter, sculptor, architect, poet, and engineer Michelangelo Buonarroti.

Donatello

The knowledgeable scientist, inventor, engineer, and technological genius

Wields the bo staffHe is named after the sculptor Donatello.

Weaknesses

Donatello has a long range of attack, but attacks slowly.

Raphael’s attack is fast but he has short range.

Obsessed with pizza.

Ownership

On October 19, 2009, at which point the rights for the entire TMNT franchise were sold by co-creator Peter Laird to Nickelodeon.

Marketing During the peak of its popularity in the late 1980s

through early 1990s, the franchise gained considerable worldwide success and fame.

After beginning as a comic book, the first TMNT cartoon series began on December 28, 1987.

In addition to the American series, a Japanese exclusive two-episode anime OVA series was made in 1996, titled Mutant Turtles: Choujin Densetsu-hen.

The Turtles have featured in four feature films. Licensed for toys, cartoons, video games, films, and other

merchandise.

Marketing (Continued)

Turtles had a number of food tie-ins, notably Ninja Turtles Cereal

Concert tour held in 1990, premiering at Radio City Music Hall. The "Coming Out of Their Shells" tour featured live-action turtles playing music as a band.

Ideas for the Future

Popularity has not disappeared New tv showNew filmVideo gamesReal Turtles