Masters of the Universe is currently in theaters, Voltron is on the way, and now there’s a significant update on a third 1980s animated adaptation. ThunderCats, the 1985 show that featured heroes who were fantastical, large, talking cats, may be coming to the big screen from Warner Bros. Pictures Animation.
The title was one of several that the animation branch of Warner Bros.’ film division teased in a longer sizzle reel (The Powerpuff Girls was another) at the Annecy International Animation Film Festival and Market this week, io9 confirmed. That means there’s something in the works, but no official announcement or additional information. So, questions like how far along the film is, who is working on it, when it could come out, and others are still up in the air. But, considering the division has officially announced several films that won’t be released until 2028 (such as Dr. Seuss’ Oh, the Places You’ll Go, DC’s Dynamic Duo, and Hello Kitty), it’s safe to assume it won’t be until 2029 at the very earliest.
ThunderCats, like Masters of the Universe and Voltron, is one of those properties that has been rumored and discussed as a film adaptation for decades. Most recently, back in 2021, The Guest and Godzilla vs. Kong director Adam Wingard was announced to be working on a live-action adaptation, which he apparently still was in 2024. Whether or not that’s still true, or if this is his version, is unclear. Considering the difficulty in adapting ThunderCats, though, animation seems like a smart idea.
After all, while there are ThunderCats fans out there who’ll break down and obsess over the franchise’s awesome characters, mythology, designs, and more, when you look at it from a purely visual level, it’s basically He-Man meets Cats the musical. And considering how He-Man just did at the box office, as well as Cats the musical a few years ago, it would be wise to be cautious with your excitement level here. But Warner Bros. put it in the sizzle at Annecy for a reason. There is hope. So grab your Sword of Omens and see how it goes.
Do you think audiences would show up to a ThunderCats animated film? Is this the way to go for the franchise? Let us know below.
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