Mutant Mayhem 2: Breaking the Tiresome TMNT Trend

The Potential of Mutant Mayhem 2

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem 2 is set to break the tiresome trend that has been hurting the movie franchise for decades. After the success of Mutant Mayhem, TMNT already has more plans set in motion for the latest depiction of the turtles, with a TV series and a movie sequel on the way. Mutant Mayhem 2 seems to be on course to break a TMNT record by becoming the highest-scoring Rotten Tomatoes film in the franchise. The first movie is the current holder, and with all the exciting updates, Mutant Mayhem 2 has the potential to be the best movie outing for the turtles yet.

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To achieve this, the sequel will have to overcome a trend that has plagued the franchise in the past. With Mutant Mayhem becoming arguably the best TMNT movie, there seems to be no reason the next installment shouldn't be even better. Mutant Mayhem already had a stacked cast, but with how successful it became, even more actors may want to get on board the project. In addition, the franchise's most iconic villain has been confirmed for the sequel, setting up an even better plot. On paper, this all sounds very promising, but Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles has a bad history when it comes to movie sequels.

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History of TMNT Movie Sequels

Although TMNT has had some solid movies in the past, it is very rare that the sequels live up to the hype of the first movies. The 1990s Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles film was a fun outing that wound up being a box office hit. This set up the perfect opportunity to make a great sequel, but The Secret of the Ooze was anything but perfect. Not only was it lackluster, but it also performed much worse than the first film financially. In 2014, the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles had a dark and gritty live-action movie that had a mixed reception that was a solid start for a reboot.

The sequel, Out of the Shadows, didn't maintain the quality or original ideas though, and became more of a live-action version of the cartoons. While the 90s films did end up making a third film, Michael Bay's more modern movies ended after two outings. Neither adaptation managed to launch a successful cinematic franchise, with most other TMNT movies being one-offs or digital releases. TMNT: Mutant Mayhem 2 is already avoiding mistakes with its careful planning for the future by casting younger actors and setting up future villains. However, it does have extra pressure to perform considering the franchise's track record, which it will hopefully overcome.

Fixing Previous TMNT Movie Sequels

Mutant Mayhem 2 could be the movie that fixes the previous problems with TMNT movie sequels, so long as it sticks to its strengths. The film has a vibrant personality that has a youthful feel and great comedy that doesn't come across as too forced. Maintaining the same visual style is the way forward for the sequel, although the tone could be darker with Shredder's addition. Shredder's voice casting for Mutant Mayhem 2 will be important, and they must secure the best actor for the job, not just the biggest name. Considering he will be pivotal to the plot, Shredder's design and voice work have to be compelling.

There are also plenty of new characters TMNT: Mutant Mayhem 2 could introduce to elevate the film. Whether these are other recognizable names from the franchise or new additions like Superfly, adding more characters will help the sequel be a bigger hit. This would also allow the cast to be fleshed out, especially if some of the first movie's characters don't return. Mutant Mayhem has plenty of qualities, and it may well be the movie to fix TMNT's run of poor sequels. If the creators take their time and stick to what works, Mutant Mayhem 2 should become the franchise's best sequel yet.