15 Reasons ThunderCats & MOTU need to be a live-action movie franchise

A very interesting article. Let's hope the big studios read this and decide to give our 2D heroes a live-action adaptation! :)

Full article here: http://screenrant.com/thundercats-masters-universe-he-man-live-action-movies/

Spoilers for the MOTU/ Thundercats comic. I haven't ready any of it yet as I'm wating for the run to be collected as a trade.

I think to say "each individual member is interesting enough, or could be written well enough to warrant their own solo adventure", is a bit of a stretch. There is plenty going on in both franchises to make some great movies though. I don't care if they were to cross over, but I definitely want to see a Thundercats movie.

"Booshman, post: 120495, member: 25641" said:

I think to say "each individual member is interesting enough, or could be written well enough to warrant their own solo adventure", is a bit of a stretch.

I guess they want a DC or MCU-like treatment for the franchise with each character having a couple of solo movies in-between the ensemble movies. But I agree that it is a bit of a stretch to expect that such solo movies would work. :)

It would be nice to get live action films of both of them.
I suppose at this point any exposure MOTU and Thundercats get would probably help the brands.

Interesting article. Thanks for sharing!

I would certainly welcome a movie for both franchises but would of course be thrilled for a Thundercats movie! The solo type episodes are an interesting concept that I had not considered before too.

The only problem with a Thundercats movie means WB/DC would be involved.

"Mark M, post: 120514, member: 5058" said:

The only problem with a Thundercats movie means WB/DC would be involved.

That means Zack Snyder would be involved! :eek

"Wilycub, post: 120518, member: 25043" said:

That means Zack Snyder would be involved! :eek

"Wilycub, post: 120518, member: 25043" said:

That means Zack Snyder would be involved! :eek

Regardless of who is involved though having a live action movie could have a positive or negative effect for the brands.
While it could generate more interest in the brand like the Transformers movies it could also do quite a bit of harm like the G.I. Joe movies.
It's quite odd though and ironic how the G.I. Joe movies damaged the brand. For both G.I. Joe movies Hasbro put out some amazing toys but they were just so over priced they did not sell well, especially in the UK. So much so that for the second movie they didn't release any in the UK. Which was a real shame as the second movie toys and figures were even better than the first.
I remember being able to buy loads of the first movie toys for my G.I. Joe collection super cheap as £-Poundstretchers were selling the figures for £1-2.99 each and Toys'R'Us £4.99 and less and the vehicles could be got for £4-15. :D
Since the movies G.I. Joe has only had a small 50th anniversary toyline available at Toys'R'Us in the USA which is just made up of repaints/retools of toys from the 2007-2012 line.

If MOTU or Thundercats get movies with toylines it would be great for the toys to be 3.75" like the Star Wars figures so they can make awesome vehicles and playsets then maybe just do a line of larger more articulated 6" scale figures for the main characters.

"Mark M, post: 120533, member: 5058" said:

Regardless of who is involved though having a live action movie could have a positive or negative effect for the brands.
While it could generate more interest in the brand like the Transformers movies it could also do quite a bit of harm like the G.I. Joe movies.
It's quite odd though and ironic how the G.I. Joe movies damaged the brand. For both G.I. Joe movies Hasbro put out some amazing toys but they were just so over priced they did not sell well, especially in the UK. So much so that for the second movie they didn't release any in the UK. Which was a real shame as the second movie toys and figures were even better than the first.
I remember being able to buy loads of the first movie toys for my G.I. Joe collection super cheap as £-Poundstretchers were selling the figures for £1-2.99 each and Toys'R'Us £4.99 and less and the vehicles could be got for £4-15. :D
Since the movies G.I. Joe has only had a small 50th anniversary toyline available at Toys'R'Us in the USA which is just made up of repaints/retools of toys from the 2007-2012 line.

If MOTU or Thundercats get movies with toylines it would be great for the toys to be 3.75" like the Star Wars figures so they can make awesome vehicles and playsets then maybe just do a line of larger more articulated 6" scale figures for the main characters.

I agree about the toyline! I would definitely be willing to throw my money behind a well done 3.75" line!

"adssse, post: 120539, member: 25051" said:

I agree about the toyline! I would definitely be willing to throw my money behind a well done 3.75" line!

So would I. Just think how awesome a 3.75" scaled Castle Greyskull, Snake Mountain, Cats Lair, Castle Plundarr or Mumm-Ra's Pyramid would be. :D

You are right, Mark. A ThunderCats movie, whether good or bad, will definitely result in a surge in toy sales both old and new. I remember how the announcement of the 2011 series sent the prices of the LJN toys skyrocketing.

"Wilycub, post: 120547, member: 25043" said:

You are right, Mark. A ThunderCats movie, whether good or bad, will definitely result in a surge in toy sales both old and new. I remember how the announcement of the 2011 series sent the prices of the LJN toys skyrocketing.

I remember when the 2011 series toys came out I bought all the basic figures, the deluxe Grune and Mumm-Ra, the 6" figures and the 8" classics.
I have mixed feelings about the 2011 cartoon. It did some amazing things but the pacing of the series was so off and took them so long before it got really good and they made some really odd decisions. Overall though I though Bandai did a pretty good job with the toys based on the animation designs. I think if they hadn't bothered with the magnetic feature and lost some of the articulation on the 4" figures and not bother with deluxe versions it would have been better. Getting a basic Pumyra, Addicus and Kaynar would have been better than deluxe versions of characters already released as basics.
The Thundertank and Tower of Omens toys area different matter lol. The tank should have been bigger and sturdier with no gimmicks. As for the tower...I don't think it's ever going to be on the list of best playsets ever made. The invisibly Tygra it came with was pretty cool. It really was an odd choice for a toy as it really isn't their main base and they are only there for a couple episodes. Bandai should have just invested in making the Thundertank bigger and have it double as a vehicle and playset like the old Kenner Millennium Falcon and various G.I. Joe vehicles.
The 6" figures were really well done considering they all had unique cartoon accurate sculpts, how much articulation and accessories they had...and at least they made they made the main adult cast. ;)

"Mark M, post: 120548, member: 5058" said:

I remember when the 2011 series toys came out I bought all the basic figures, the deluxe Grune and Mumm-Ra, the 6" figures and the 8" classics.
I have mixed feelings about the 2011 cartoon. It did some amazing things but the pacing of the series was so off and took them so long before it got really good and they made some really odd decisions. Overall though I though Bandai did a pretty good job with the toys based on the animation designs. I think if they hadn't bothered with the magnetic feature and lost some of the articulation on the 4" figures and not bother with deluxe versions it would have been better. Getting a basic Pumyra, Addicus and Kaynar would have been better than deluxe versions of characters already released as basics.
The Thundertank and Tower of Omens toys area different matter lol. The tank should have been bigger and sturdier with no gimmicks. As for the tower...I don't think it's ever going to be on the list of best playsets ever made. The invisibly Tygra it came with was pretty cool. It really was an odd choice for a toy as it really isn't their main base and they are only there for a couple episodes. Bandai should have just invested in making the Thundertank bigger and have it double as a vehicle and playset like the old Kenner Millennium Falcon and various G.I. Joe vehicles.
The 6" figures were really well done considering they all had unique cartoon accurate sculpts, how much articulation and accessories they had...and at least they made they made the main adult cast. ;)

As a fan of the 2011 toyline I agree. I think the figures were well done but the decision making was certainly questionable. The magnetic gimmick was a bust and investments should have been made elsewhere IMO. Also, you are spot on about the Tower and Thundertank. They literally fall apart every time my kids play with them. The larger scale 6" & 8" figures were all very well done and the 4" line had so much potential to release a larger cast with more accessories, vehicles and playsets.

"Wilycub, post: 120518, member: 25043" said:

That means Zack Snyder would be involved! :eek

To me that's a good thing, that just means the movie would have a better chance of getting made instead of lingering in limbo, like say Masters of the Universe.

"grumpykat, post: 120550, member: 26015" said:

To me that's a good thing, that just means the movie would have a better chance of getting made instead of lingering in limbo, like say Masters of the Universe.

With the exception of George Lucas and Steven Spielberg I doubt the name of any director being interested in Masters of the Universe would make any difference. MOTU has been in development limbo for so long because MOTU is a very dated brand that Mattel just don't have any confidence in any more after the failure of the 2004 cartoon and toys.

Anyone watched the Thor 3 trailer? The style and colours and especially the title cards are how I would want a MOTU to look. Very vibrant and 80's looking.

"grumpykat, post: 120550, member: 26015" said:

To me that's a good thing, that just means the movie would have a better chance of getting made instead of lingering in limbo, like say Masters of the Universe.

there's no guarantee for that. ultimately its the studio's call. like Mark M said Snyder has nowhere near the kind of pull that someone like Spilberg or Lucas have. they can get studio approval for any movie not Snyder.

Besides I'd rather NEVER have a thundercats movie than to have one directed by Snyder! I don't wanna see a movie stripped of color where all the heroes are depressesd and brooding for no reason. He'd probably cast Jessy Eisenberg as Mummra! LOL!!! :laugh

"Booshman, post: 120554, member: 25641" said:

Anyone watched the Thor 3 trailer? The style and colours and especially the title cards are how I would want a MOTU to look. Very vibrant and 80's looking.

It looks amazing. I was saying to Wilycub a while back that a MOTU movie that visually looked like Thor would be great.

"KosmoKat, post: 120555, member: 25717" said:

there's no guarantee for that. ultimately its the studio's call. like Mark M said Snyder has nowhere near the kind of pull that someone like Spilberg or Lucas have. they can get studio approval for any movie not Snyder.

Besides I'd rather NEVER have a thundercats movie than to have one directed by Snyder! I don't wanna see a movie stripped of color where all the heroes are depressesd and brooding for no reason. He'd probably cast Jessy Eisenberg as Mummra! LOL!!! :laugh

Snyder and Nolan's casting for DC characters was indeed odd. Maybe Wonder Woman will be good. The trailer looks very colourful compared to all his other films.
I get he likes Frank Miller's Batman The Dark Knight, 300 and Sin City comics but he doesn't have to try and make every DC film look like that. ;)

"Booshman, post: 120554, member: 25641" said:

Anyone watched the Thor 3 trailer? The style and colours and especially the title cards are how I would want a MOTU to look. Very vibrant and 80's looking.

I agree. Even though I didn't enjoy the first two Thor movies as much as I enjoyed the other MCU movies (barring the Incredible Hulk), the trailer for this third one has really got me excited! It looks amazing! :)