Godzilla vs. Kong‘s Adam Wingard Attached to Helm New Thundercats Movie

Thundercats ho! Deadline reports that iconic, classic 1980s animated series, Thundercats, has a new big-screen revival in the works, and Godzilla vs. Kong filmmaker Adam Wingard (You’re Next, Blair Witch, Death) is currently on board to direct the project. Wingard came on board after the project was being developed by Dan Lin and Roy Lee, with an early script from David Coggeshall.

Wingard will also rewrite the previous script by Simon Barrett. His plan is to present the film using a hybrid of CGI and animation that will bridge the gap between cartoon and CGI. He told Deadline in a separate interview, “I want to do a movie you’ve never seen before. A hybrid CGI film that has a hyper real look and somehow bridges the gap between cartoon and CGI. That’s the starting point, and Simon Barrett and I are getting into the script now.”

The animated series follows a group of anthropomorphic cat beings, the Thundercats, who flee from their dying planet of Thundera and seek refuge on Third Earth. There they are menaced by Mumm-Ra, an evil sorcerer. The group is led by the young prince and Lord of the Thundercats, Lion-O, who due to a malfunction in his stasis capsule had his body rapidly into an adult. As a result, Lion-O has the mind of a young boy inside an adult’s body. The show documented Lion-O’s journey into maturity as he learns what it takes to become a true leader for his people.

Deadline noted that Wingard is the first director to sign a new deal with Warner Bros. following WarnerMedia’s surprising move to release the studio’s entire 2021 slate on HBO Max along with its US theatrical debut.

The original Thundercats animated series debuted in 1985 and ran for four seasons and 130 episodes. Warner Bros. would later attempt a theatrical CG reboot in 2007. However, while a test rell was made, the project never got off the ground. The property was later rebooted with a new animated series on Cartoon Network in 2011. However, despite rave reviews and solid ratings, the toys did not sell very well, and the show was cancelled after one season and only 26 episodes.

The latest iteration of Thundercats was the 2020 comedy reboot, Thundercats Roar; the less said about which the better. The show was cancelled after one season and 52 episodes.

Godzilla vs. Kong, directed by Wingard, debuts in theaters and on HBO Max on Wednesday, March 31. Currently, he’s also attached to direct a planned sequel to the action flick, Face/Off. So, it could be a while before this new Thundercats movie makes it to theaters; if at all.