Warner purrs for Thundercats
'80s animated series heading to bigscreen
By MARC GRASER

'Thundercats'

It's Thundercats, ho! at Warner Bros.
Studio has optioned a script by tyro scribe Paul Sopocy to turn the popular 1980s animated series and toy line into a live action feature.

Warner-based Paula Weinstein will produce through her Spring Creek Prods. banner, along with Dick Robertson and Lew Korman.

Property revolves around a group of humanoid cats (with feline names like Lion-O, Tygra, Panthro and Cheetara) who must flee their planet of Thundera after it's destroyed. Once crash-landing on another planet, Third Earth, they must thwart Mumm-Ra, an evil sorcerer, bent on killing them off.

Sopocy has written the script as an origin story expanding on the major heroes and villains from the animated series, with the plot focusing on Lion-O coming of age as the leader of the Thundercats.

Project was brought to Warner by Palek Patel, VP at Spring Creek. Dan Lin is overseeing the pic for Warners.

The Thundercats franchise began in 1983 and spawned several animated series, with the most recent airing on Cartoon Network, a toy line produced by LJN and comicbooks published by Marvel and DC imprints. Warner Bros. has owned the rights to the animated series since acquiring Telepictures Corp. in 1989.

Studio's recently been bitten by the nostalgia bug, pacting with Joel Silver to produce a live-action "He-Man" movie, based on the toy and cartoon franchise, as well as a feature based on the DC comicbook "Teen Titans," a junior Justice League.

Weinstein most recently produced Warners' "Blood Diamond," and with HBO Films is prepping "Recount," based on the 2000 presidential election, with Sydney Pollack set to direct.

"Thundercats" is Sopocy's first studio script sale as a screenwriter. He's currently senior writer, print advertising, at Fox Broadcasting Co., and has previously penned short films including "Staring at the Sun," which was screened at the Sundance film fest in 2005.

There was a 2nd Thundercats series? When? They aired the old one on Cartoon Network but it was just the same episodes.

It half sounds like they are talking about He-Man who has had 3 series & the latest was on Cartoon Network.

I remember there being a spinoff series called Tigercats. IIRC it was basically Thundercats but with an aquatic theme.

As for a movie version of the show, all I can say is . I really want to see this happen, and I really hope they do it at least 80% right.

This is...bizarre. I just don't know how the end-product will be. But then again, I didn't think they could make TF live-action or Han shoot first, and yet, here we are.

Now all we need is live-action remakes of Bravestar, Visionaries, Teddy Ruxpin, and Gummi Bears ... I can't remember any more 80's cartoons off the top of my head ...

I confess to having a mad Cheetara crush when the original series aired.

Man, I was just talking about Thundercats with my friend the other day. After Transformers he was hoping for a Thundercats movie. I told him it wouldn't happen cause it would be so cheesy. Guess I was wrong. I have no idea how this could turn out. It would look like the Broadway show Cats mixed with He-Man.

I'm gonna go ahead and cast the movie:


Lion-O - Hugh Jackman: he's got the voice, looks, and Broadway skills for the part. Purrfect.


Panthro - Micheal Clark Duncan: he'd look good in blue fur



Tygra - Casper Van Dien: we need someone who won't overshadow Lion-O, and who better than this B-movie specialist.



Cheetara - Holly Valance: if you saw DOA you would know what I mean. What I would pay to see this hottie dressed up as Cheetara.



Snarf - Paul Giamatti: he's got the look down.



Mumm-ra - The dude who played Lo Pan in Big Trouble in Little China: James Hong would be perfectly menacing as Mumm-ra.

GI Joe
Space Ghost
Voltron
GoBots

If they did it as a serious, ass-kicking kind of movie, I'd be all for this.

If it's nothing but Snarf hijinks, I'm out.

A script for Voltron is in the works.

Don't forget Silverhawks.

That was called Tigersharks and was done by the same production company (the same folks that did Silverhawks).

I have a contact that works at the WB that saw a plan for a new Thundercats cartoon (in the vein of the new Scooby Doo toon) and saw some character designs (along the lines of Teen Titans) but it never got greenlit. Thank the heavens!

A Thundercats movie could be good... if done right.

But I hope they leave He-Man alone. The Dolph Lundgren version was fine.

Ah, yes, that's right. That would make sense, given the show's aquatic theme.

What about Wheeled Warriors, Jem!, Centurions, and Turbo Teen?

I want a C.O.P.S or MASK movie.

What the fuck is a sammoflange?

These never get old.

Can't forget the lovable...

I wish I could say this was the worst idea for a movie...ever.

Sadly, they've greenlit stupider ideas.

Im all about Jayce and the Wheeled Warriors... I still sometime pretend I have one of those bad ass dune buggie thingees.

I was fond of Thundercats, but I will really be curious as to how they are going to turn the characters into live action. There will be have to be some serious make-up/CGI to keep the actors from looking like freaks.

I like the trend of 80s properties being turned into movies. It just shows that nostalgia and Hollywood power is now on my generation's side. I will complain, of course, when the attention turns to later generations.

I remember liking this as a kid. Sadly, I looked this up and ruined the whole thing...

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"the magic root"

And speaking of people with too much time on their hands...

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That trailer looks fantastic, can't wait until it hits the theater!