ThunderCats is an iconic media franchise that has spawned three animated series that vary wildly in quality. The original, launched in 1985, introduced audiences worldwide to the eponymous heroic team of humanoid felines, led by the noble Lion-O, and their fight against the evil undead sorcerer Mumm-Ra and his band of mutants. Three decades later, a new, darker incarnation hit the small screen. As recently as 2020, yet another adaptation took audiences by surprise with its vastly different style.
Throughout the years, ThunderCats has maintained its status as a beloved franchise. The characters - clearly influenced by the likes of the Masters of the Universe - are colorful and diverse, and each brings something unique to proceedings, appealing to a wide range of demographics. The three distinct series epitomize that notion with their various quirks. But while each has something to enjoy, there's a clear winner in terms of which one is the best ThunderCats installment.
Why the Canceled ThunderCats Movie Never Happened
These are all of the details that we know about the previously planned ThunderCats movie, and why it ultimately became a canceled project.
3 ThunderCats Roar (2020)
ThunderCats Roar was fighting an uphill battle as soon as the concept was born. Online reaction to its announcement, particularly promotional teaser videos on YouTube, was overwhelmingly adverse. While the characters and concepts in the show are familiar to the franchise's devout followers, that's where the familiarity ends. It's clearly an attempt to capitalize on the success of shows like Teen Titans Go!, which has a similar comedic tone and animation style. However, comparisons between the two series have resulted in ThunderCats Roar coming out unfavorably, to say the least.
Make no mistake, ThunderCats Roar is funny for pre-adolescent children - especially those unfamiliar with the original ThunderCats show and its first reboot - and there's undoubtedly a place for shows with its tone. Still, it hardly resembles the originals, with the kid-friendly tone causing the heroes and villains to come across as drastically different caricatures of their classic, less-childish predecessors. ThunderCats Roar is a ThunderCats show in name only, and its swift cancelation after less than a year says everything.
ThunderCats Movie: Casting Adam Wingard's Reboot
Adam Wingard's new ThunderCats reboot hasn't announced any casting decisions yet, so the door is open for potential actors to fill these iconic roles.
2 ThunderCats (2011-2012)
The first attempt at rebooting ThunderCats garnered far more praise and success. It makes a handful of changes to the eponymous group's story, but the general concept is familiar, and there are far more positive things to say about it than the opposite. It's much darker and edgier than the original series, being aimed at a slightly older audience, but that works with the ThunderCats. It earned praise from new fans and ThunderCats stalwarts, breathing new life into the franchise and putting a welcome spin on its characters and concepts. Its main criticism came from accusations that it was only made to promote new ThunderCats toys.
The animation is sleek and has an anime feel to it, which is no surprise, given it's a co-production between the United States and Japan. The characters are fleshed out, it looks great, and the voice performances of its talented cast deserve endless adulation. This series is fun but surprisingly deep and layered - to the point that adults can appreciate it. Sadly, it only lasted one year. Arthur Rankin Jr. and Jules Bass, whose production company made the original series, were heavily involved with it in their final project together. Both producers have since passed away, and it's a fitting tribute to their brilliant animation legacy.
1 ThunderCats (1985-1989)
It will come as a surprise to precisely no one familiar with ThunderCats that the original show remains the best. Produced by Rankin/Bass Animated Entertainment, the 1980s ThunderCats show is genuinely iconic and widely regarded as one of the finest animated shows ever made. The series introduced audiences to Lion-O, Tygra, Panthro, Cheetara, Snarf, Mumm-Ra, Monkian, Slythe, Jackalman, and many more brilliantly weird and wonderful characters. While the animation is a little clunky by modern standards, it still captures the imagination and remains a fantastic watch to this day.
ThunderCats delivers positive messages aimed at older pre-teen children and those in their early teens, albeit in a less in-your-face way than the likes of He-Man and the Masters of the Universe. The writing is superb, the stories are intriguing, the voice acting is terrific, and the show boasts one of the catchiest and most memorable theme tunes in television history. It lasted for four seasons and a whopping 130 episodes from 1985 until 1989, which is a significant testament to its appeal. This show is why the franchise spawned comic books, video games, toys, merchandise ranging from T-shirts to lunchboxes, and two more series.