The Best Easter Eggs In Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem

This article contains spoilers for "TMNT: Mutant Mayhem."

The Ninja Turtles are back in "Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem," an animated film from director Jeff Rowe and producer Seth Rogen. By every measure it's a successful reboot of the beloved property that will keep youngsters and animation enthusiasts entertained. Fans of the original comic books and animated series from the '80s might notice changes to certain aspects of the characters — "Mutant Mayhem" is more of a character-driven comedy than an action film, with a powerful message about acceptance. I, for one, wanted a bit more ninja madness, but still walked away satisfied.

Regardless of any reservations about the picture, plenty of fun Easter eggs sprinkled throughout pay homage to previous iterations that should satisfy those needing a nostalgia kick. Some are easy to spot, while others require sharp eyes and some brain power. What's clear is that those behind the scenes genuinely love Donatello (Micah Abbey), Michelangelo (Shamon Brown Jr.), Raphael (Brady Noon), and Leonardo (Nicolas Cantu), and the movie gives fans what they crave while also pushing the franchise in a radical new direction. So kick back, grab a slice of pizza, and dive into our guide to the best Easter eggs in "Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem," dude!

Right from the start, Turtles fans were treated to a delightful Easter egg in "Mutant Mayhem" with the appearance of the eccentric scientist Baxter Stockman (Giancarlo Esposito). In the prologue, he bounces merrily around his lab filled with various animals, but his tenure is cut short when Cynthia Utrom's men invade and accidentally trigger an explosion, seemingly killing the notorious villain.

Or so we think. In previous depictions, Baxter transformed into a fly and tormented the Ninja Turtles with his wild inventions. It's puzzling that the filmmakers chose to dispatch such an iconic character before he had a chance to embrace his potential fully. But in a neat twist, this rendition of Baxter deviates from what we're accustomed to. Here, he's portrayed as more sympathetic, driven by the desire to create a family through animal experimentation. Little does he know that his meddling will lead to the birth of our beloved turtle heroes and the film's primary antagonist, Superfly (Ice Cube). The question lingers: Could Baxter potentially return to seek revenge for the demise of his creation? We can only hope.

This fresh take on Baxter Stockman opens up intriguing possibilities for the character's arc in the future. Will he embrace his infamous fly persona, or will he continue down a path of redemption and unexpected alliances? 

Midway through "Mutant Mayhem," Splinter (Jackie Chan) goes out of his way to bond with his boys. He buys pizza, sets up party decorations, and plans a fun night inside the sewer lair. Among his festive décor are three life-sized standees of actors Chris Evans, Chris Pratt, and Chris Pine. This would have been funny in and of itself, but many fans might not realize what makes the presence of a cardboard Chris Evans particularly noteworthy.

Fans will recall that Evans, who famously portrayed Captain America for over a decade in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, once lent his voice to the "Ninja Turtles" franchise via the 2007 animated film. He played Casey Jones, the masked vigilante who often aligns himself with our green heroes and occasionally romances April.

Of course, "TMNT" hit theaters some four years before Evans' first go as Captain America, when he was known primarily as Johnny Storm (aka the Human Torch) in the ill-fated "Fantastic Four" movies from the mid-2000s. He's certainly come a long way, and is the best Chris of the bunch in this writer's mind.

"Mutant Mayhem" constantly references an organization called TCRI, led by the mysterious Cynthia Utrom (Maya Rudolph). This directly connects to "Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles II: The Secret of the Ooze," which reveals TGRI as the organization that produced the green goo that transformed the turtles into their ninja selves. No, it's not a typo — in the original comics, the Techno Cosmic Research Institute (TCRI) is the company responsible for the ooze. Some knowledgeable Reddit users state that producer Thomas K. Gray changed the name to the Techno Global Research Institute to prevent fans from expecting the villain Krang.

"Originally, the ooze was a byproduct of Utrom technology, and they were living in secret," writes Shredhead72. "It would have been too much to add that to the movies with the story they were already telling, and they didn't want to confuse people who might mistake an Utrom for Krang. So, they removed all ties of the ooze having alien origins by taking 'cosmic' out of the name of the company that made it."

Gray informed Den of Geek that they made changes to certain elements purely for business reasons. Others suggest the change might have been made to distance the film from the cartoon series, which original creator Peter Laird reportedly disliked. In any case, "Mutant Mayhem" reimagines the cosmic element of the ooze, paving the way for Krang in future films.

The most disappointing aspect of "Mutant Mayhem" for many fans is the absence of the Turtles' iconic nemesis, the martial arts master Shredder, who has been an integral part of almost every version of the franchise. Although we get nods to Krang and encounter Rocksteady and Bebop, the feared leader of the Foot Clan is nowhere to be seen.

Perhaps anticipating fan outrage, the filmmakers wisely include a mid-credit sequence that hints at Shredder's future presence in upcoming installments. The scene features the enigmatic antagonist, Cynthia Utrom, expressing frustration over the Turtles' newfound high-profile status, which makes them harder to capture. She orders her men to "Call the Shredder." The camera then pulls out to a wide shot of New York City, revealing a dark figure with jagged blades protruding from his shoulders, ominously lurking in the shadows.

This revelation is enough to send fans into a frenzy. Oh, the possibilities! While I still wish he had been part of this initial chapter, I find solace in knowing that our metal-clad villain will appear in sequels, assuming they come to fruition.

A fun reference in "Mutant Mayhem" that few will pick up on is a heist scene inspired by Michael Mann's classic 1995 crime drama "Heat." In the early part of the film, a trio of goons steals a powerful device from an armored truck, mirroring the scene from "Heat" in which Robert De Niro's crew pulls off a similar robbery.

Both heists follow a nearly identical sequence: redirecting the vehicle down a different street, laying out spike strips to flatten the tires, using C4 to blast through the backdoor, and swiftly removing the materials inside before making their getaway. Even the goon in "Mutant Mayhem" clicks a stopwatch and notes the amount of time they have before the police respond, just as De Niro's character does in "Heat."

From then on, "Mutant Mayhem" takes a drastically different turn. The bad guys escape with the stolen goods, but their plans go up in smoke when Superfly lifts them into the air and devours them at his base of operations. In contrast, "Heat" continues with the antagonists making off with a large sum of money, attracting the attention of Al Pacino's detective character, leading to a gripping cat-and-mouse thriller that, understandably, no kid watching "Mutant Mayhem" would be aware of. Still, we old guys will appreciate the clever nod.

As we've established, "Mutant Mayhem" presents wildly different takes on characters who appeared in earlier "TMNT" comics and TV series. Bebop (Seth Rogen) and Rocksteady (John Cena), for example, maintain the appearance of their '80s counterparts but end up supporting the Ninja Turtles during their battle with Superfly. Others, like Mondo Gecko (Paul Rudd), have undergone significant changes from their previous designs and are portrayed more for comedic purposes than as formidable adversaries. 

In the comics, Mondo was more of a street-smart villain, not a goofy surfer dude. Similarly, Wingnut (Natasia Demetriou) casually stole children alongside his pal Screwloose, while Leatherhead (Rose Byrne), the Cajun-spouting alligator, alternates between teaming up with our four heroes and serving as a fierce opponent.

On the other hand, Superfly can be seen as a 'roided-up take on Baxter Stockman, although he becomes a more sympathetic villain driven by the desire to avenge the loss of his father rather than a crazed scientist. All these changes are not necessarily bad; they simply present different interpretations of the characters compared to what we've seen in earlier material.

The filmmakers' approach to Shredder and Krang remains a mystery. Will they prove to be menacing foes or provide comedic relief as bumbling villains? Time will tell.