Nostalgia Powers Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles 35th Anniversary Re-Release as Fans Gear Up for ‘Secret of the Ooze’

By Trevor Decker | August 22, 2025 | Movies

Cowabunga, Turtle fans! Nearly 35 years after Leonardo, Donatello, Michelangelo, and Raphael first leapt from the sewers to the big screen, the original 1990 Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles movie is proving it still has plenty of kick. The film’s anniversary re-release has already pulled in $3.3 million in its opening week, with audiences packing theaters for a dose of pizza-fueled action and nostalgia.

That overwhelming response has prompted theaters to keep the party going. The re-release is now set to remain on the big screen through August 28, giving fans one more chance to relive the magic. As reported by Deadline, the turnout has been so strong that it marks the highest-grossing repertory title of the year for Fathom Entertainment.

And the celebration doesn’t stop there. Fans can already look forward to revisiting the next chapter of the Turtles’ big-screen adventures: Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles II: The Secret of the Ooze, the 1991 follow-up, will return to theaters in March 2026.

Fathom Entertainment CEO Ray Nutt praised the passion of fans who “showed up in droves with so much enthusiasm” for the anniversary screenings. That enthusiasm underscores how much these characters, born from Kevin Eastman and Peter Laird’s 1980s comics, continue to resonate with audiences across generations.

The success of these screenings is also a reminder of a unique era in movie history. The early 1990s saw a wave of family-friendly films adapted from comics and animated series, with Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles leading the charge. Long before the Marvel and DC universes dominated the box office, the Turtles proved that costumed heroes could be both mainstream hits and cultural touchstones. For kids of that era, the mix of martial arts, humor, and heart was irresistible — and for adults today, it’s a chance to relive those simpler days when Turtle Power ruled playgrounds and Saturday morning cartoons.

With Secret of the Ooze set to make its big-screen comeback, the nostalgia wave is showing no signs of slowing. Whether you were there in the ’90s or discovering the franchise for the first time, these re-releases are a reminder that some heroes never go out of style.

Disclaimer: This content is not sponsored. Trevor Decker News provides independent entertainment coverage.