SUMMARY

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Out of the Shadows has entered Netflix’s Top 10 chart in the United States.
The sequel ranks eight years after the movie performed poorly at the box office.
The sequel only made $245.6 million at the box office when it was released in 2016.

Eight years after it flopped at the box office, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Out of the Shadows is making a comeback on Netflix. The movie served as a sequel to Nickelodeon and Paramount’s Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, which rebooted the original film series.

It follows the titular heroes as they take on the formidable villain team of Shredder (Brian Tee), Dr. Baxter Stockman (Tyler Perry), and the brutal extra-terrestrial Krang (Brad Garrett). Despite its star-studded cast, including Stephen Amell, Will Arnett, and Megan Fox, the film flopped at the box office, but it is now redeeming itself on Netflix.

Stephen Amell as Casey and Raphael and Donatello in Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Out of the Shadows

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Out of the Shadows recently landed on Netflix’s Top 10 Most Popular Movies in the United States chart, nearly eight years after its premiere. The sequel took ninth place on the charts for the week of May 20 to May 26, joining several new releases and long-time residents.

It is an impressive feat, given that Netflix recently released several originals, including Atlas, Thelma the Unicorn, and Mother of the Bride, and other highly recognizable new titles like A Simple Favor and Madame Web.

Why Did Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles 2 Originally Flop at the Box Office?

The Sequel Only Made $245.6M Against A $135M Budget.

Michelangelo, Raphael, Leonardo, and Donatello in Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Out of the Shadows April O'Neil (Megan Fox) and Casey Jones (Stephen Amell) in Ninja Turtles: Out of the Shadows Donatello, Michelangelo, Leonardo, and Raphael in Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Out of the Shadows
 Stephen Amell as Casey Jones holds his hockey stick in Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Out of the Shadows  Michelangelo in Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Out of the Shadows

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Out of the Shadows ‘ quality and cheesy spirit may simply be better suited for streaming than the cinema.

Although Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Out of the Shadows is redeeming itself on Netflix, it likely won’t be enough to revive the film series. In 2016, the sequel grossed just $245.6 million on a budget of $135 million, losing the studio an estimated $75 million.

Given the box office success of its predecessor, the major flop took the studio and filmmakers by surprise. A planned third movie was subsequently cancelled, with Nickelodeon and Paramount turning their attention to the animated reboot film Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem, which is set to receive a sequel and spinoff series.

As a result, it is unlikely that Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Out of the Shadows will ever receive a sequel. However, the question remains of why the film didn’t perform well at the box office. Even though its predecessor received largely negative reviews, it still proved to be a box office hit.

Additionally, the sequel boasted an impressive cast and hefty budget and brought many memorable Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles characters to the screen. Producer Andrew Form suggested the movie just didn’t reach the right audience, as he could come up with no other reason for its failure.

However, the flop likely came down to poor reviews. When the sequel’s predecessor arrived, it was the first Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles movie in seven years, so it sparked curiosity. However, the reception was negative, criticizing the cheesiness and the decision to make the turtles hulking, gritty figures instead of teenage boys.

The lack of interest in a sequel likely made summer flicks like Popstar and Me Before You more attractive choices for audiences. Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Out of the Shadows‘ quality and cheesy spirit may simply be better suited for streaming than the cinema.