The Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles are having a “Shell-A-Bration” because when the tour began in 2025, the original film that started it all was celebrating a 35-year milestone. The reunion kicked off at Awesome Con in Washington, D.C. (March 4–6, 2025), and the main cast has been enthusiastic nonstop ever since. It’s not just about everyone getting older and wanting a retirement fund. Whether that’s part of the reality or not, seeing the voice talents and the people behind the first two live-actions film is a thrill all on its own. At each stop, they talk about the camaraderie, the laughs, and the stories from set, and I’m sure plenty of respect gets paid to the performers in the suits who handled the stunts.
Kenn Scott (suit/voice) is Raphael; Michaelan Sisti (suit) and Robbie Rist (voice) make up Michelangelo; Leif Tilden (suit) and Corey Feldman (voice) teamed up as Donatello (with Ernie Reyes Jr. providing the martial arts stunts); and David Forman (suit) and Brian Tochi (voice) bring Leonardo to life. The lineup changed between films, but I doubt anyone who wasn’t at the table this time was forgotten on the broader circuit.
Feldman was at least “there in spirit,” since he was also representing The Goonies. He arrived late in getting to Vancouver due to a flight kerfuffle, then sped down I-5 to make it to the border and into town. If he’d had the energy to celebrate both, the lineup with him included would have been truly Shell-tacular. Still, mixing performers and voice talent gives fans the best of both worlds. You’re seeing the people behind the costumes, and the ones playing the characters we all see in those films.
It’s hard to believe 20 years have passed since the theatrical release of Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone. The personalities moved on to appearing in more demanding projects, but in the eyes of fans, Daniel Radcliffe, Emma Watson and Rupert Grint will always be Harry, Hermione and Ron. But there’s more people who made this film franchise what it is today. Also included are the directors–Chris Columbus, Alfonso Cuarón, Mike Newell and David Yates–and supporting cast (the list is too huge to present here).