Editing Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (section)

===1990s: First films, franchise expansion and commercial peak===
The franchise reached its commercial peak in the early 1990s.<ref name="Den of Geek-2019">{{Cite web|date=2019-03-30|title=The original ''Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles'' movie is still amazing|url=https://www.denofgeek.com/movies/the-original-teenage-mutant-ninja-turtles-movie-is-still-amazing/|url-status=live|access-date=2021-10-18|website=Den of Geek|language=en-US|archive-date=June 4, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220604084146/https://www.denofgeek.com/movies/the-original-teenage-mutant-ninja-turtles-movie-is-still-amazing/}}</ref> The [[Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (1990 film)|first ''Turtles'' film]] was released in 1990, featuring costumes designed by [[Jim Henson's Creature Shop]].<ref name="Den of Geek-2019" /> It was based more closely on the comic than the animated series, with a darker tone.<ref name="Den of Geek-2019" /> It was the fourth-highest-grossing film of 1990 and broke the record for the highest-grossing [[independent film]], earning more than US$200 million worldwide.<ref name="Greenberg-1990">{{cite news|last1=Greenberg|first1=Harvey R.|date=April 15, 1990|title=Just How Powerful Are Those Turtles?|work=The New York Times|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1990/04/15/movies/just-how-powerful-are-those-turtles.html?scp=8&sq=ninja%20turtles&st=cse|access-date=August 7, 2010|archive-date=June 12, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180612182757/https://www.nytimes.com/1990/04/15/movies/just-how-powerful-are-those-turtles.html?scp=8&sq=ninja%20turtles&st=cse|url-status=live}}</ref><ref name="Den of Geek-2021">{{Cite web|date=2021-03-22|title=What went wrong with ''Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles II: The Secret of the Ooze''?|url=https://www.denofgeek.com/movies/what-went-wrong-with-teenage-mutant-ninja-turtles-2-secret-of-the-ooze/|url-status=live|access-date=2021-10-14|website=Den of Geek|language=en-US|archive-date=June 3, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220603124342/https://www.denofgeek.com/movies/what-went-wrong-with-teenage-mutant-ninja-turtles-2-secret-of-the-ooze/}}</ref> A second film, ''[[The Secret of the Ooze]]'', was released in 1991. With a rushed production and a lighter tone, it received weaker reviews and was less successful at the box office.<ref name="Den of Geek-2021" /> ''[[Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles III]]'' (1993) was aimed at the Japanese market, the largest foreign market for US films at the time, but failed to see release there and saw weaker reviews and sales.<ref name="Collins-2014" /><ref name="Den of Geek-2021" />

In 1990, a stage musical featuring the Turtles as a rock band, ''Coming Out of Their Shells'', played 40 shows across the United States.<ref name="Mental Floss-2015" /> The musical was sponsored by [[Pizza Hut]] and promoted with an appearance on ''[[The Oprah Winfrey Show]]''.<ref>{{Cite web|title=The true story of how the Ninja Turtles became a rock band|url=https://www.gamespot.com/articles/the-true-story-of-how-the-ninja-turtles-became-a-rock-band/1100-6475327/|url-status=live|access-date=2021-10-17|website=[[GameSpot]]|language=en-US|archive-date=May 31, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220531022658/https://www.gamespot.com/articles/the-true-story-of-how-the-ninja-turtles-became-a-rock-band/1100-6475327/}}</ref> A soundtrack album and VHS were released.<ref name="Mental Floss-2015" /> After the animated series ended, a live-action television series, ''[[Ninja Turtles: The Next Mutation]]'', was created in 1997 with [[Saban Entertainment]]. It introduced a fifth, female turtle, [[Venus (Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles)|Venus de Milo]]. The series was canceled after one season.<ref name="Mental Floss-2015" /> Laird later said it was the only licensed ''Turtles'' project he "truly regrets".<ref name="Mental Floss-2015" />