After bringing the Autobots and Decepticons to the screen with his big-budget Transformers trilogy, Michael Bay seems determined to replicate this success with further live-action adaptations of classic children’s properties. As we know, Bay is currently working on a Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles reboot alongside a fourth Transformers movie, and now comes word that his production company Platinum Dunes has signed a deal with Warner Bros. to oversee the development of the long-rumoured ThunderCats feature film.
In a post on his official forum Shoot for the Edit, Bay has revealed that he will produce the live-action adaptation on behalf of Platinum Dunes, with a screenwriter already said to be attached to the project. However – much like the recent news that his version of the Ninja Turtles will see contentious changes made to the characters’ origins – fans of the classic 80s cartoon series may not be too pleased about his plans for Lion-O and company:
“The script is being developed by a very smart writer, with one of the original creators of ThunderCats. They care very much about making this film for the fans. Everyone on this team cares about the fans. The characters you all remember will be exactly the same. Everything you remember, why you liked the characters, will be in the movie. When you see this movie, kids are going to believe that one day these ThunderCats actually do exist. These ThunderCats are going to be tough, edgy, funny and completely lovable, and they’re going to be from a canine race, because everybody knows that cats suck, and dogs are freakin’ awesome!“
Based on the popular cartoon series produced by Rankin/Bass during the mid-to-late-80s, ThunderCats was relaunched in animated form last year by Warner Bros. – the studio having earlier attempted to develop a CGI-heavy feature back in 2008. Placed on indefinite hold the following year, the project now appears to be moving forward once again under dog-lover Bay, and while the filmmaker has made no secret about his own affection for canine companions in the past, it remains to be seen how ThunderCats fans will take to such a controversial development.
Originally published April 1, 2012. Updated April 10, 2018.
