The Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles are trading the New York City sewers for the New Jersey Turnpike. A first look has been revealed for Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Chrome Alone 2 – Lost in New Jersey, a new animated short film that continues the story from the 2023 hit movie Mutant Mayhem.
Story Details
The short film’s story finds the Turtle brothers facing an unusual challenge. When a mysterious toy company exploits the Turtles’ newfound fame, the brothers follow the clues to New Jersey where they stumble upon a shocking discovery.
This plot continues directly from the events of Mutant Mayhem, where the Turtles were finally working to gain acceptance from the human world. The new adventure takes them out of their familiar New York setting and into the unfamiliar territory of New Jersey.
Director Kent Seki explained the choice of location, telling Variety, “We wanted to honor the Ninja Turtles’ history while asking what would happen if we put them somewhere completely unfamiliar. New Jersey became the perfect backdrop because it’s so close to New York, yet has its own energy and quirks that challenge the turtles in new ways.”
Creative Team and Inspiration
The short is directed by Kent Seki, who served as the head of cinematography on Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem. The screenplay was written by Andrew Joustra, who was also part of the Mutant Mayhem team. The film is produced by Jeff Rowe, Seth Rogen, Evan Goldberg, and others from the feature film’s production team.
Seki’s inspiration for the short came from his love of 1990s family films. He specifically mentioned the influence of Home Alone, with the short’s title being a clear pun on Home Alone 2: Lost in New York.
“I grew up loving both Home Alone and the Ninja Turtles, and this project became a way to smash those influences together,” Seki said. “The turtles are constantly in survival mode — but here, survival means figuring out the Jersey Turnpike.”
Animation Style
Chrome Alone 2 features a unique visual style that builds upon the look established in Mutant Mayhem. The animation combines stylized, abstract character designs with realistic, hand-painted backgrounds. This approach makes the Turtles visually stand out against environments that feel grounded and authentic.
Seki commented on this creative decision, stating, “It was about making the turtles pop against an environment that feels almost too real, so every pizza slice and sewer lid becomes a character in its own right.”
Release Information
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Chrome Alone 2 – Lost in New Jersey is scheduled to debut in theaters worldwide on December 19, 2025. It will be shown alongside The SpongeBob Movie: Search for SquarePants. The short had its world premiere at the Annecy International Animation Film Festival on June 10, 2025.
The short film has a runtime of 7 minutes.
Future of the Series
While Chrome Alone 2 is a short film, its director hints that it could lead to more stories exploring new environments for the Turtles. The success of this short may determine if the heroes in a half-shell venture to other unexpected locations in future projects.
A full sequel to Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem is currently in development and is expected to be released in 2027.
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