'80s cartoon classic ThunderCats is roaring back as a movie

If you grew up in the '80s, there's a good chance you were a fan of the popular animated ThunderCats show. Now's your chance to relive the fun of your childhood as a new ThunderCats animated movie is announced.

The era of animated television shows

It looks like movie studios are trying to relive the golden era of animated kids' shows, even though there are signs it could be their flop era. All you have to do is look at the numbers for the 2026 Masters of the Universe movie release.

Focusing on He-Man, Masters of the Universe went through "development hell" and its budget ballooned out of control (rumored to be $170 to $200 million). So far, it's only made $101.9 million globally.

Making ThunderCats now seems like a bold choice.

ThunderCats gets the green light from the studio

Despite the dismal response Masters of the Universe got at the box office, Warner Bros. Pictures Animation has given the green light for ThunderCats. The announcement was made at the Annecy Festival.

Details are sparse right now, but there will likely be leaks and news released over the next few months to a year. In 2024, Adam Wingard and Simon Barrett were linked to the script, but it's unclear if they are still tapped to do the project.

A theatrical release is also unclear

Another big part of the puzzle is whether ThunderCats would get a full theatrical release or if it's slated for a digital release, like many other WB animation movies.

Up to this point, there have been three versions of the ThunderCats show. The original began in 1985, there was a revival in 2011, and then another revival in 2019-2020.

Each of the revivals has failed to land, leaving some fans wondering why the movie got the green light.

What's old is new again

All this announcement shows is that what's old is new again. This announcement may not excite everyone, but there's bound to be some diehard fans who are hyped.

Sources: ScreenRant, Punch Drunk Critics