The Transformers movies put Michael Bay’s ability to create compelling live-action adaptations on full display, but they also accidentally ruined another franchise from the 90s. When it comes to critical ratings, the Transformers live-action movies come nowhere close to being as good as many other adaptations. However, when the movies’ commercial reception is considered, they perfectly highlight that Michael Bay knows how to deliver blockbusters that please the masses.
Even beyond the Transformers movies, Michael Bay has used his iconic and bombastic filmmaking style to create visually stunning films that put spectacle before storytelling. Not all Michael Bay movies have been hits, but the director seems to be right up his alley when he gets to helm action flicks. Unfortunately, Michael Bay’s success with the Transformers movies seemingly came with a cost: it accidentally led to the downfall of another franchise from the 1990s.
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles’ Live-Action Reboot Was Way Too Similar To Transformers
The Two Live-Action Films Failed To Capture The Franchise’s Potential
2023’s Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem‘s box office success proves the franchise holds immense potential. Unfortunately, it has been the only theatrical movie in the franchise since the two Michael Bay-produced movies hit the theaters in the 2010s. Despite having talented cast members and decent production budgets, the two live-action films failed to leave their mark because they were a little too similar to Transformers and almost every other typical action comic-book adaptation.
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Every Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Movie & Series (In Chronological Order)
Keeping track of all the TMNT movies in order can be tricky as the franchise has had over a dozen screen adaptations.
Instead of trying to stand out, the movies unfolded familiar stories of good vs. evil, where the titular ninja turtles teamed up against a powerful villain to protect their city. Given how TNMT is a massive franchise that has had many successful iterations in various storytelling mediums, two live-action movies cannot ruin its overall reputation. However, it seems like the two movies’ underwhelming critical reception and inability to portray the four genetically mutated turtles have prevented other live-action takes on the franchise from generating enough excitement.
Bay’s Style Didn’t Fit The Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles As Well As It Fit Transformers
The TMNT Movies Should Have Been Approached In A Different Way
Michael Bay is not known for helming narratively unique movies. Most of his films, including the Transformers franchise’s installments, follow linear and fairly predictable storylines that do not demand much from audiences in terms of thinking and mental investment. The primary appeal of Michael Bay’s movies lies in their slam-bang action sequences and expensive set pieces. Almost all Bay movies thrive on spectacle, with explosive visuals, quick-paced edits, mainstream background scores, and larger-than-life moments.
Movie | Budget | Box Office |
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (2014) | $125–150 million | $485 million |
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Out of the Shadows (2016) | $135 million | $245.6 million |
Bay’s style turned out to be the perfect fit for the Transformers movies. Owing to this, even though the new Transformers movies, like Bumblebee and Transformers One, have relatively better critical scores than the first few live-action flicks, they have not been able to earn the massive box office numbers that Bay’s films did. Unfortunately, the same cannot be said about the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles live-action films. While the 2014 TNMT live-action movie managed to become a box office success, the second one did not break even, proving that Bay’s Transformers approach could only deliver limited results.
TMNT Still Hasn’t Fully Recovered From The Bay Movies When It Comes To The Big Screen
The Upcoming Live-Action TNMT Movie Will Try To Undo The Damage Caused By Its Predecessors
Unlike the 2014 and 2016 TNMT movies, the upcoming Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles live-action film will adopt practical effects instead of relying heavily on CGI. This could work wonders, given how the CGI from the previous movies was not received too well. Instead of trying to please the masses, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: The Last Roninwill have an R rating and adapt one of the darkest arcs from the franchise’s original lore.
If the
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles
movie stays true to the original story, it will unfold more as a tale of revenge, making it a refreshing addition to the live-action franchise and potentially allowing it to upend the damage caused by its predecessors.
Set in a totalitarian future, the original Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: The Last Ronin comic-book story presents a grim tale in which Shredder’s grandson gradually kills the turtles and Master Splinter. Only one of the four turtles barely survives and sets out to avenge the death of his family. If the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles movie stays true to the original story, it will unfold more as a tale of revenge, making it a refreshing addition to the live-action franchise and potentially allowing it to upend the damage caused by its predecessors.
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles is a 2014 film that follows the emergence of four mutated turtle warriors in New York City. As they surface from the shadows, they unite to protect their home from a daunting threat posed by a criminal kingpin.
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Out of the Shadows is the follow-up to the Michael Bay-produced Ninja Turtles reboot. This time, Donatello, Leonardo, Michelangelo, and Raphael have a rematch with Shredder, who has enlisted the help of Rocksteady and Bebop, along with the alien Krang to take down his enemies. The film was released in 2016 and directed by Dave Green.
Transformers
Transformers, directed by Michael Bay, introduces audiences to a world where two factions of alien robots, the Autobots and Decepticons, bring their battle to Earth. Shia LaBeouf stars as Sam Witwicky, a teenager who becomes an unwitting participant in their conflict. The film showcases the heroic Autobots, led by Optimus Prime, as they strive to protect humanity from the malevolent Megatron and his Decepticon forces.
