The next 80s & early 90s cartoon that deserve a movie deal

EmoBorg · Jul 27, 2012

Christopher · Jul 27, 2012

I voted for BraveStarr since it's the only Filmation show on there, and since it would be great to see an action franchise with a Native American lead (and no, you don't count, Johnny Depp).

It's worth noting that Dreamworks has just acquired the library of Classic Media, the company that owned the rights to all Filmation shows that weren't licensed from other owners, as well as such properties as Voltron, Rankin-Bass's pre-1974 productions, the Jay Ward library (Bullwinkle, Dudley Do-Right, and such), etc. So it's possible that we could see a BraveStarr or He-Man movie from Dreamworks at some point.

What I'd really like to see, though, is a smart reboot of the Space Academy/Jason of Star Command universe. Heck, I'd like to develop that.

Takeru · Jul 27, 2012

I voted for M.A.S.K., it takes place on present day earth which seems to appeal to many people, the masks are a nice way to include all kinds of superpowers and the transforming vehicles can be fun if done right.

I like the Thundercats concept but I doubt it would ever work as a live action movie, unless they spend a shitload of money it will look like CATS vs. the mummy.

Out Of My Vulcan Mind · Jul 27, 2012

Out of those choices I vote for Thundercats, but my top pick is Robotech.

EmoBorg · Jul 27, 2012

Out Of My Vulcan Mind said:
Out of those choice I vote for Thundercats, but my top pick is Robotech.

I love Robotech. I was introduced to anime through Robotech. Robotech aka Macross was a great show. i still remember the great soundtrack and Roy Focker death scene in the show to this day even after nearly 20 years.

John Clark · Jul 27, 2012

I'd like to see a MASK film, but a Centurions one would not go amiss with me either.

Lonemagpie · Jul 27, 2012

Thundercats. There was a fan-made trailer a couple of years ago for a fantasy live action version...

Ah, yes... here we go
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fb50GMmY5nk

Christopher · Jul 27, 2012

If I could vote for more than one (why not set the poll up that way?), my second pick might have been ExoSquad. That show was excellent in concept, well-written, intelligent, and scientifically literate, but the animation was atrocious, and the artists totally screwed up the good planetary science the writers put in (like showing Olympus Mons as an impossibly slender needle and Enceladus as a rectangular slab of rock). If ever a concept deserved a second chance with better execution, it's that one. Ditto for Phantom 2040, which isn't on the list.

trekkiebaggio · Jul 27, 2012

A Captain Planet movie is in the works isn't it?

I can't remember anything about M.A.S.K except that I liked it.

Admiral2 · Jul 27, 2012

Starcom. It was fantastic science fiction as a cartoon. I can only imagine how great it would be on the big screen.

Everything else on this list, by comparison, is lame.

I liked the Thundercats, but not enough to see live action versions of the characters. If I wanted to see that, I'd pay for a production of CATS.

I liked Jayce and the Wheeled Warriors too, but the evil living plant villain/vehicles would look silly.

Gobots shouldn't even be on this list. People bitch about Bayformers all the time, but can you imagine a live action movie with Cy-Kill and that little scooter thing running around? :rolleyes:

Gaith · Jul 27, 2012

Christopher said:
reboot

The correct spelling is ReBoot, but yes.

Captaindemotion · Jul 27, 2012

No He-Man option?

Christopher · Jul 27, 2012

Captaindemotion said:
No He-Man option?

That's already working its way through the circles of Development Hell. This is about hypothetical future projects. (Although I wouldn't be surprised if some of those on the list already have movie adaptations in the works. There was a CGI ThunderCats movie in development for a while, but it seems to be defunct.)

Admiral2 · Jul 27, 2012

I'd also like to write in Mighty Orbots, a superb giant robot cartoon that didn't get near the acclaim it deserved because it had the bad luck to come out at the same time as Voltron, which I thought was crap. ("Form feet and legs!" :rolleyes:

Form middle finger!)

Kirkman1987 · Jul 27, 2012

I'd go a bit further back and go with...

Jonny Quest - Only if we can circumvent the PC police and have a film adaptation with the original's full on violence, on-screen deaths and harmful stereotypes. :devil:

Seriously though this could be a great action adventure film with gadgets and old time adventure elements. I think the group of scientist Quest, badass tough guy Race Bannon and the two kids really appeals to a wide demographic. Throw in that sexy temptress Jade and you have a summer blockbuster.

Herculoids - Just imagine how awesome the visuals would be. The alien worlds and monsters would be amazing
[yt]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6NdcNw4gOFU[/yt]

Space Ghost- See Herculoids

Edit- Also, Popeye the Sailor has a film in the works but it's being done by the people behind The Smurfs so all hope might be lost. Someone really needs to do an adaptation based more on the grand adventure of the comic strip. I imagine exotic colorful settings, fantastical creatures and that rough and tumble Segar city humor. Popeye done in that style with visuals similar to the TinTin movie would be amazing.

Lonemagpie · Jul 27, 2012

And if we can have some British input - Dangermouse!

Saga · Jul 27, 2012

since there is no He-Man option i chose Defenders of the Earth. i love Thundercats but i too think that it just wouldn't work as a live action film.

Christopher · Jul 27, 2012

I don't really see Defenders of the Earth counting as a property of its own. It was just a hybrid of Flash Gordon, Mandrake the Magician, and The Phantom, comic strips that date back to the 1930s. I'd rather see a solid, well-done adaptation of any one of those.

And Thundercats could work in live action. The characters are humanoid enough that they could be done with fairly simple prosthetic makeup, just face paint, contact lenses, fake fangs, pointed ears, and wigs/bald caps.

Redfern · Jul 27, 2012

Christopher said:
Thundercats could work in live action. The characters are humanoid enough that they could be done with fairly simple prosthetic makeup, just face paint, contact lenses, fake fangs, pointed ears, and wigs/bald caps.

Actually, that's what disappointed me with the concept. Except for the time Mumm-Ra disguised himself as Pume-Ra, none of the ThundeCats looked feline enough for my taste. They looked far more like ElfQuest styled elves pumped on steroids ready for a KISS concert. Now, the present series running on CN, they've made them a "tad" more cat-like by replacing the Spock ears with something a bit more triangular and the "kittens" at least have tails. But the faces still look too human in my book, not even a "nose-pad". But we know how movies tend to change things. This would be one instance when I'd be actually be happy if HollyWood altered designs, providing one of those changes were making the TCs a bit more "feral".

But Herculoids, hey, that's a cool thought! I always wondered if the people who conceived that series grew up reading ERB and various pulp sci-fi. Certainly their world has something of a Barsoomian feel without actually infringing upon ERB's creature concepts. And, if nothing else, they'd make Tara something more than the helpless damsel in distress as she was usually depicted in the cartoon. (Yes, I know the opening credits show her launching one of those "energy rocks", but moments like that were rare.)

Sincerely,

Bill

Caliburn24 · Jul 27, 2012

I vote ExoSquad, there are so many interesting elements that were in that show that were undercut by the execution or cut short by the length of the show.

The next 80s & early 90s cartoon that deserve a movie deal

Vote for your 80s and early 90s cartoon that deserve a movie deal

Battletech

Bravestarr

Captain Planet

Centurions

Defenders of the Earth

Exosquad

Jayce and the Wheeled Warriors

M.A.S.K.

Silverhawks

Saber Rider

Spiral Zone

Sky Commanders

Starcom

The Gobots

Thundercats

Visionaries

Commodore

Writer

Space Police

Vice Admiral

Commodore

Rear Admiral

Writer

Writer

Vice Admiral

Admiral

Vice Admiral

Admiral

Writer

Admiral

Commodore

Writer

Rear Admiral

Writer

Rear Admiral

Commodore

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