Emmy winner John Likens drops jaw-dropping TMNT test footage

Emmy Award-winning director John Likens just unleashed chaos on social media with a Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles animated short that’s got fans begging for more.

This January 2026, Likens shared “Raphael Unleashed,” a brutal two-minute proof of concept that lays bare what the future of TMNT on the big screen could look like.

The video shows Raphael taking on Foot Clan soldiers in an abandoned subway tunnel, but this ain’t kid stuff. The sequence combines photorealistic CGI with visceral fight choreography that captures the gritty atmosphere of the original 1990 films with Jim Henson’s designs.

Raphael blocks katanas with his sais, delivers devastating kicks, and dispatches the enemy unit with surgical precision.

The camera glides low to the ground capturing the speed and brutality of each blow, while close-ups reveal the green-shelled warrior’s facial expressions mid-combat.

A portfolio that speaks for itself

Likens isn’t some amateur playing with animation software. We’re talking about the guy who designed the title sequences for Deadpool 2, Deadpool & Wolverine, Eternals, and Iron Man 3.

His work earned him an Emmy for Outstanding Graphic Design and Art Direction on Red Bull’s Blood Road documentary, plus recognition at SXSW for his work on Netflix’s Godless opening titles.

The New York-based director studied graphic design at Iowa State University and taught himself animation before working for studios like The Mill, Framestore, and Method Studios, where he currently serves as Creative Director.

He’s left his mark on series like HBO’s The Night Of, Warrior, Apple TV+’s SEE, and What We Do in the Shadows. His portfolio also includes holographic designs for RoboCop and Transformers: Age of Extinction.

The vision behind the project

This isn’t the first time Likens has shown his love for the Ninja Turtles. Back in 2023, he released similar proof-of-concept footage featuring Leonardo and Donatello that generated massive responses online.

All three videos use the classic Jim Henson movie designs from the ’90s but take them to another level with modern technology. To create the detailed models, Likens used Cinema 4D, Maya, and Blender, proving he’s got not just the vision but the technical muscle to back it up.

Likens’ goal is crystal clear: create a TMNT film or episodic series that works as “a grounded action thriller packed with chaos, conflict, and brutal martial arts, while carrying the emotional depth and high-stakes drama of a prestige series.” Basically, the Ninja Turtles adult fans have been waiting decades to see.

Fan reaction has been explosive. Comments like “This IS TMNT” and comparisons to The Last Ronin comic are flooding social media.

Meanwhile, Paramount has two TMNT projects in development: Mutant Mayhem 2 arrives September 2027, and a new live-action film produced by Neal H. Moritz (Sonic the Hedgehog, Fast & Furious) is scheduled for November 2028.

If anyone at Paramount is smart enough, they’re already dialing Likens’ number.

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