By Cartoons are great. Growing up, I loved to get up early weekend mornings (Fox Kids on Saturday, WB Kids on Sunday) and rush home from school during the week to catch all the best cartoons. Before the advent of DVR, piracy, and YouTube, it took a special kind of commitment to be a cartoon fan. But these days, cartoons are everywhere.
They have their own stations, conventions, and movies. With Transformers, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, Popeye, Scooby-Doo, even Underdog having a movie all their own, cartoons are far more worthy of the attention. But what about all of the forgotten shows? There are shows still primed for the big time, and it’s only a matter of time before we’ll see these of the big screen.
At least we should anyway.
Honorable Mentions: Dog City, King Arthur & the Knights of Justice, 2 Stupid Dogs, Biker Mice From Mars, Cadillacs & Dinosaurs, Mighty Max, SWAT Kats, Where on Earth is Carmen Sandiego?, Arthur, Dexter’s Laboratory, Captain Simian & the Space Monkeys, Pepper Ann, Darkwing Duck, Swamp Thing, M.A.S.K., Reboot, Most Disney cartoons, Teen Titans
10. Street Sharks
Sure Street Sharks is essentially the same show as TMNT if the turtles were trash talking punks, but man it was JAWSOME. With all of the current shark hype, now’s the best time for a Street Sharks reboot. Let Michael Bay produce this one, give it the worst best screenwriter, and then watch the cash roll in.
9. The Mysterious Cities of Gold
I know this one’s been given a face lift thanks to a recent mobile game, but I really want this on the big screen. This is one of the rare occasions where I’d prefer live action for the property. Full of gorgeous backdrops, education, mystery, and non-White protagonists (with Spanish, Incan, and Egyptian influences), and childlike wonder. It’s a show that didn’t get the following it deserved. Come back, Esteban.
8. Ed, Edd & Eddy
A cool cartoon about three con men working over marks during Summer vacation. I really don’t need to explain why this should be a movie, do I?
7. Mummies Alive
HE HAS THE MUMMIES! PROTECTING 25 B.C.
HE HAS THE MUMMIES! SOMETHING SOMETHING RAMSES
6. Gargoyles
I remember having a tough time following Gargoyles. Being one of the first “dark” cartoons with a through plot line, I couldn’t miss an episode because I’d come back super lost. And since I had missed so many, I think I singlehandedly canceled this show. I just really want to see a film version of this out of cold, hard guilt. Also for the possibility of seeing Keith David don giant grey wings and a mullet.
5. Bravestarr
Bravestarr should really be more popular. A Native American sheriff fighting space aliens and robots in a version of Texas on the moon (or something)? And you’re saying he has an ass kicking, wisecracking horse that transforms into a man horse? Why hasn’t this been adapted for film yet? Do studios not want my life savings?
4. Thundercats
Remember when Thundercats nearly got a motion picture? Something happened during production that saved us from what was most likely a disaster. Then we got that neat, but short lived reboot on Cartoon Network a few years ago. We’re overdue for a full fledged Thundercats film. I’d probably see it twice. Hell, just give actors cat noses and save money if that’s the issue.
Sight beyond sight, badass beyond badass.
3. Captain Planet and the Planeteers
Although it’ll never be as good as the Funny or Die shorts with Don Cheadle, I really do think a Captain Planet film could work. Take out some of the 80-90s fluff like mullets, Indian children with monkeys, and “love” and you’d have a current Hollywood blockbuster. I mean if LeVar Burton can bring back Reading Rainbow, we can at least get a 90 minute film. Or a fan film. Anything. The power is yours, Internet. Make it happen.
2. Kim Possible
Call me, beep me, if you want to reach me when Kim Possible finally gets her big screen debut. I know the show has gotten some movie length TV specials on Disney Channel, but if there’s any Disney cartoon worth adapting, it’s this one. Featuring a teenage cheerleader (who also happened to be a really great super spy), and her goofy best friend as they take on all sorts of colorful bad guys. Literally colorful with a blue guy, a green lady, and I believe there was a red one at one point. Slick action, great comedy, and featuring one of Christina Milian’s few hit singles.
1. Samurai Jack
This one hurts more than any other cancellation. Getting cut short after just one awesome season, we never got the final battle between Jack (a samurai wielding a mystical sword) and Aku (a demon who sent Jack years forward into the future). Although talks for a movie began shortly after the series ended, it was never meant to be. Although this list is about shows I want to see on the big screen, it’s really just a thinly veiled list of shows I’d like to see again. Jack never made it back home.
AKUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUU
What did you think Flixist community? Am I wrong about these decisions? Are you made I forgot about Young Justice until right now? Leave a comment below or write a c-blog telling me why!