ThunderCats, the movie
Oh yeah, it's happening.
Following the soon-to-be -released Transformers and the recently-announced He-Man comes yet another afternoon 'toon from my childhood making its way to the silver screen.
This time, it's ThunderCats, an animated series that aired in the 1980s and focused on a group of warriors that looked like a meld of both human and feline. Warner Bros. has optioned a script from Paul Sopocy for the live-action CGI feature-length adaptation.
The original series, created by Ted "Tobin" Wolf, featured characters Lion-O, Jaga, Panthro, Cheetra and others as citizens of a planet named Thundera who come to Third Earth after their planet is destroyed. Not unlike He-Man, the cartoon mixed all kinds of mythological, fantasy and futuristic elements. Also, it really made you want to buy the action figures, which was probably the point.
Sopocy's script will serve as an "origin story" for the ThunderCats, dealing with a young Lion-O as he begins his journey toward leading the rest of the ThunderCats.
Not to upset any ThunderCats fanatics out there, but I could never really get into this series. I watched it all the time, probably because it was sandwiched between cartoons I liked a lot more, but I always felt the pacing was too slow and the animation a little too stilted.
I also have to wonder exactly who they're trying to reach with this movie. ThunderCats holds a certain nostalgia for many of us, but do kids today really care about it? And are there that many people my age who want to see a film version of this cartoon? Regardless of its popularity, I just can't imagine people flocking to see a movie about humanoid cat warriors.
Now, Transformers, that seems to make a lot more sense. Even if that cartoon was a total bomb, the idea of transforming machines is perfect summer movie fare.
What do you guys think?

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