Thundercats (Mattel)

[Non-Chick Magnet]

Let's face it....there's a 99% chance that any reboot is gonna suck. 

[bigraj]

Let's face it....there's a 99% chance that any reboot is gonna suck. 

Maybe not.  The 2011 take on the 'Cats was very good, though I liked the 80's costumes better.

[Non-Chick Magnet]

Maybe not.  The 2011 take on the 'Cats was very good, though I liked the 80's costumes better.

That's a very good point, RAJ.  I think that for both HE-MAN and the THUNDERCATS, their reboots were far, far stronger and more well thought out than the original material, but at the same time, they weren't the smash hits that the originals were. 

Why weren't the reboots hits?  Bad time slots?  Cartoon Network didn't show enough support?  Kids from the 80s were a lot different than kids from the 2000s?  The Sword & Sorcery genre is a thing of the past?  They should have been on a major network instead of cable?  Maybe it was everything.

I'd love to think that a reboot would be a more fleshed out version with 80s costumes, and a cheaper, easy-to-buy retail toy line, but that's probably just a pipe dream.

[bigraj]

IIRC, the recent Thundercats 'toon was cancelled not because of low ratings, but because the toys were selling poorly.  I'm sure the TV ratings weren't as good as the 80's version, simply because there are so many more channels to watch and other ways to be entertained than there were back then.

[Non-Chick Magnet]

That's why I can't imagine any reboot doing gangbusters.  I could be wrong, but I just don't see it. 

[Chooch]

I really don't think any TV show does well anymore in regard to translating to action figure sales.  Outside of Power Rangers and Ninja Turtles (which are boosted by the now adults that were kids in the 90's seeking a nostalgia fix) is there a line based on a show with any staying power?

[Gardner Grayle]

I'm not thinking reboot here.  I'm thinking complete relaunch.  For those of you old enough, think Crisis on Infinite Earths.  Think JJ Abrams on Star Trek.  Think Battlestar Galactica 2004. 

In this world where entertainment companies keep getting bigger and more vertical, it's all about content.  Some at brainiac at Warner's has probably identified ThunderCats as a property that can be relaunched and monetized.  Movies, TV, cartoons, games, digital, comics and yes, toys.  In my opinion, T-Cats are a cleaner version of MotU.  The source material is very limited as opposed to the sources for MotU which are many and all over the place. 

As a side note, when you start poking around into who owns what in the entertainment industry, it's eye opening.  Turns out Magnus, Solar, and Turok are owned by NBCUniversal (Comcast).  Which ultimately means any of them could show up on SYFY as some shitty CanAm sci-fi pilot.  Painful.     

[Non-Chick Magnet]

A big relaunch does make sense.  If WB has something huge planned, S7 definitely would not have the resources to handle it.  Why else would they yank the license?

[Gardner Grayle]

But it could be a few years before anything happens on our end.  The potential might be there though.  Think of a T-Cats movie like Lord of the Rings.  Think of a T-Cats TV show like the Shannara Chronicles.  Not Game of Thrones.  This is probably a long term plan.  Announcement at SDCC?  Maybe?  WB needs to fill two sizable holes left over from Harry Potter and LotR/Hobbit.  Wonder Woman is a baby step in doing so. 

Just my mental diarrhea kicking in again.  Sorry.

[Chooch]

Why else would they yank the license?

Because Super 7 wasn't offering good terms.  Because Super 7 wouldn't offer the reach another licensor could.  Because someone at WB had a bad burrito that day and wanted to settle the matter quickly.  It's the entertainment biz - logic is a minor factor.

[Gardner Grayle]

I disagree.  In the entertainment industry, logic=$$$.  Follow the $$$ to find out the real reason. 

Of course, that information isn't accessible to the public, so we may never know.   

[Non-Chick Magnet]

Well, I suppose it's entirely possible that THUNDERCATS will undergo a big relaunch.  Who knows?  I'm quick to go straight to doom-n-gloom, but it could be that MATTEL or somebody else will pick up where the recent line left off.  TPTB would have to feel pretty confident about it, and I can't see it being anything other than direct-to-consumer, but it could happen.  Especially if there were already a movie, TV show, or new comics.

[KOLOBOSREXX]

...Cornboy from the 4 Horsemen seemed to indicate on FB that Super 7 was at fault for T-Cats falling through... I'm guessing Brian tried to peddle his overpriced novelty crap as inclusion to a Thundercats Classic license, and WB was like, "Thanks but No Thanks!!  His entirely inappropriate glibness while revealing the news in his podcast speaks volumes, IMHO.

[Gardner Grayle]

Well, I suppose it's entirely possible that THUNDERCATS will undergo a big relaunch.  Who knows?  I'm quick to go straight to doom-n-gloom, but it could be that MATTEL or somebody else will pick up where the recent line left off.  TPTB would have to feel pretty confident about it, and I can't see it being anything other than direct-to-consumer, but it could happen.  Especially if there were already a movie, TV show, or new comics.

Doubtful Mattel will.  They've gone out of their way to get rid of any vestiges of any collector niche lines.  If they can't sell it at big box retail, apparently they want nothing to do with it.  Getting rid of mattycollector.com is a sure sign of that.  And it may be part of the reason why we've seen no Mattel SDCC exclusives yet.

Be that as it may, T-Cats has a loyal fan base.  Who knows what's up?

Were it up to me (and it's not), I would roll it all together with all of the other appropriate Cartoon Network/Boomerang shows like Space Ghost, Johnny Quest, Herculoids, Thundarr, etc, for one big sci-fi cartoon line.  Six inch scale of course.  Basically the cast of DC Comics Future Quest + Thundarr and the ThunderCats.       

[Non-Chick Magnet]

Jeez, GARD, stop bustin' my chops!  I'm trying to be positive for once!


I kid, I kid.

But I do love your Cartoon line.  Totally sweet idea!

It really does make me wonder what's going on.  Is it like REXX said?  Did Brian Flynn annoy a WARNER BROS exec with the idea of THUNDERCATS Marionettes and salt and pepper shakers?  Is WARNER BROS planning a huge relaunch?  Or did WB just cut all ties because it's their property to do with what they please?