The hero in a half shell is back, but this time he is stranded across the river.
“Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Chrome Alone 2 – Lost In New Jersey,” directed by Kent Seki, takes beloved characters out of their comfort zones and drops them into unlikely environments. Mixing slapstick humor, gritty animation, and unexpected heart, the short film follows the turtles as they try to navigate garden conditions after misadventure takes them far from their New York roots.
The premise of this movie has a plot twist. When a mysterious toy company exploits the Turtles’ newfound fame, the brothers follow a lead to New Jersey, where they stumble upon a shocking discovery.
“We wanted to honor the history of the Ninja Turtles and ask what happens when you put them in a completely unfamiliar place,” Seki told Variety. “New Jersey made the perfect backdrop because it’s so close to New York, but it has its own energy and quirks that challenge the turtles in new ways.”
At its heart, Chrome Alone 2 – Lost in New Jersey continues the franchise’s tradition of balancing martial arts action with offbeat comedy. Seki said that this tone appealed to modern audiences, while intentionally recalling the chaotic spirit of 1990s family films.
“I grew up loving both ‘Home Alone’ and the Ninja Turtles. This project became a way to smash those influences together,” he said. “Turtles are always in survival mode, but here, survival means figuring out the Jersey Turnpike.”
Seki, who has worked in both live-action and animation, said directing the TMNT short allows him to inject a personal touch while respecting his loyal fan base. “Whenever you work with a character as iconic as the Turtles, you have to give the fans a personality: Leonardo’s discipline, Michelangelo’s humor, Donatello’s technical obsession, Raphael’s temper. For me, the surprise came from the setting, and the way we used the animation style to heighten the contrast between them.”
The animation combines stylized character designs with photorealistic backgrounds to create a world that feels elevated and lived-in.
“Chrome Allow 2” has already made a bit of history. The film was selected for Variety’s “Pixels and Pencils” and became the first animated short to be invited to a panel. The program highlights the year’s most innovative animated films and culminates with a director’s roundtable.
“Chrome Alone 2 – Lost in New Jersey” is a short film, but Seki suggests it may serve as a springboard for more stories that push the turtles into unexpected corners of the world. “I think audiences are hungry for new ways to experience these characters,” he said. “We always love seeing them in New York, but throwing them somewhere unexpected opens the door to new humor, new stakes, and new visual possibilities.
With inventive visuals, quirky humor, and a loving nod to franchise lore, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Only Chrom – Lost in New Jersey is poised to carve out its own place in Turtles history.
Images of the first look can be found below.
