TMNT: Mutant Mayhem's Unexpected Connection To HBO's Watchmen Explained

It's been a great summer for franchise movies that have come down the line with fresh new approaches and unique takes on long-existing properties. As if "Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse" didn't wow audiences enough, "Barbie" is blowing up into a worldwide sensation as well, making it a good time for comic book and toy tie-in movies at the box office.

Luckily for "Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem," it happens to fall into both categories. While most of the Turtles' previous cinematic outings haven't been terribly well-received by critics, according to Rotten Tomatoes, their latest offering seems to be resonating on a higher frequency due to its gorgeous visuals and an all-star cast of well-rounded performers.

However, there's something else in that frequency that's a bit more surprising, and that's the connection to HBO's "Watchmen" series. Another comic book adaptation, what Jeff Rowe and Seth Rogen's "Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem" also shares in common with the acclaimed HBO series, is a score from the Oscar-winning team of Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross, who you might recognize from their work on several other noteworthy projects like "Soul" and "Mid90s."

While Trent Reznor is best known as the frontman for the legendary industrial rock band Nine Inch Nails, he has been increasingly working with Atticus Ross over the last 15 years in crafting some of the most memorable movie and television scores around. Though "The Social Network" is likely the best-known soundtrack that the two have created together, they have collaborated on plenty of other noteworthy efforts as well.

The duo has worked with "The Social Network" director David Fincher on three further projects, including "The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo," "Gone Girl," and "Mank." Still, one of their most recent end beloved scores has been the extensive collection of music that they crafted for HBO's "Watchmen."

Reznor and Ross scored the entirety of the HBO series across three volumes of music that cover a variety of genres. Furthermore, the soundscape that emerged, as a result, is intensely moving and memorable, showing that just because some of the music in the series is a bit out of their usual wheelhouse, that doesn't mean they can't deliver.

While many fans might still be anxiously waiting for their turn to see "Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem" this weekend, the score for the new movie is already available on streaming services. This means you can bob your head and scarf down some pizza right this minute, even if you're still waiting to see the movie for yourself.