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Movieline Presents the Never-Before-Seen Concept Art For Warner Bros.' Thundercats
Everyone has their own ’80s cartoon franchise that meant something to them, and mine was ThunderCats: The Rankin/Bass series followed of a race of humanoid felines from the planet Thundera, forced to evacuate after their home comes under siege by the fearsome Mutants of Plun-Darr (who looked a bit like reptilian Ernest Borgnines.) Yes, I still hold a fond place in my heart for Lion-O, Cheetara, Panthro, Tygra, Snarf and the rest, and so Warner Bros.’ announcement a while back of a Thundercats movie filled me with the warm, fuzzy feelings one typically associates with watching Saturday morning TV while eating peanut-butter-and-grape-jelly sandwiches. The script, written by Paul Sopocy, was to follow Lion-O’s origin myth from young cub to his anointment as Lord of the ThunderCats, and was to be directed by veteran art director Jerry O’Flaherty.
In conjunction with our coverage of Comic-Con 2009, Movieline has obtained O’Flaherty’s never-before-seen Thundercats concept art, demonstrating just how gorgeous and ambitious his vision for this production is. After the jump, you’ll see Thundercats renderings of Lion-O, The Pyramid, Third Earth, and Mutant Attack.
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Posted 24 Jul 2009, 10:36 AM
Snarf was always my favorite of the late 80's onomatopoetically named sidekicks.
Posted 04 Aug 2009, 1:04 AM
can you name any others?
Posted 07 Aug 2009, 2:30 PM
how about cringer from he-man? and bumble from the original transformers show? or even Klunk from the bionic six?(ok, i admit that last one was a p.o.c. show that should not have lasted 2 seasons)
Posted 13 Aug 2009, 9:19 PM
more tights less leather!!
Posted 24 Jul 2009, 10:43 AM
Good model.
I liked his style.
Posted 24 Jul 2009, 10:57 AM
Nice!
Posted 24 Jul 2009, 11:02 AM
I think this is way cool i loved the cat's when i was younger and now i got the first two series on dvd... Cant wait for this to happen...
Posted 24 Jul 2009, 11:06 AM
Looks amazing. Hope it sees the light of day.
Posted 24 Jul 2009, 11:29 AM
I just pissed myself with excitement.
Posted 25 Jul 2009, 8:00 PM
you and me both....maybe we should have read it in the bathroom?
Posted 03 Aug 2009, 12:34 PM
oh my god...quanta babaquice!
mijar-se pelo Lion?hummmm...isso é bichice ham?
hehehehhe
Posted 24 Jul 2009, 12:00 PM
I only wish it was more like the original. I'm funny that way.
Posted 24 Jul 2009, 12:35 PM
Is that Ron Perlman? Where's Linda Hamilton? I'm CONFUSED.
Posted 24 Jul 2009, 1:47 PM
Damn, Lion-O is looking fierce. Work it!
Posted 24 Jul 2009, 4:54 PM
Yes, I also hope it will see the light of day.
Posted 24 Jul 2009, 4:57 PM
You mention the movie in the past tense, that "it was to be directed by O'Flaherty". What does that mean?
Does that mean the movie has been scrapped, the director has been scrapped, or nothing at all except incorrect verb tense?
ThunderCats is one of my favorite things ever...definitely one of my fondest childhood memories. I'd be OK with the changes he's making as long as it turns out well in the long run. Besides, this stuff is gorgeous.
Posted 24 Jul 2009, 5:23 PM
It is really cool!
I already wanna have it in my private collection.
Also have the complete series from the 80`s.
Posted 24 Jul 2009, 5:35 PM
Dude this will be sweet, can't wait.
Yes there are some things that will never age, and those are the nostalgic thundercats of our generation
Posted 24 Jul 2009, 5:47 PM
This movie could rock..
Please don't make it stupid..
Thundercat were cool keep them that way.
Posted 24 Jul 2009, 5:52 PM
Ron Perlman would be perfect. I was just trying to figure out who they could use and saw Slip's comment. Damn. He gets my vote.
Posted 24 Jul 2009, 7:12 PM
Ron Perlman has too much chin for this, and would be too old to match the concept.
Maybe Seth Rogen with muscles after a Hollywood gym makeover.
Posted 24 Jul 2009, 6:53 PM
Make sure Vin Diesel isn't involved, and keep these visuals and you have a movie I might be willing to see.
Posted 24 Jul 2009, 9:10 PM
im in.
Posted 24 Jul 2009, 11:02 PM
Ummmm...why does Liono look kinda gay??!! I mean, thundercats is supposed to be hardcore, not feminine looking? It would be exciting, but if they don't man up on Liono, I'll have to pass.
Posted 04 Aug 2009, 7:03 AM
Lion-O looks kinda gay? He looks more manly here then in the powder blue tight-t and short-shorts in the cartoon. Don't get me wrong, I loved the series, but Lion-O did not have the best uniform.
This concept art looks incredible. But the whole Lion-O/Jagga=Luke/Obi-wan relationship will need to be redone. Too similiar.
Posted 25 Jul 2009, 1:17 AM
Whoa, that actually doesn't look gay.
Bring on teh Cheetara hotness.
Posted 25 Jul 2009, 6:09 AM
Not bad. Hopefully they'll make the suit blue. I like the leather, though
Posted 25 Jul 2009, 12:59 PM
Beautifully rendered and drawn. I loved Thuhdercats, I wonder how badass Mumrah will look?! You like this kind of news? Hit Nerdbastards.com for all the geek news you want
Posted 26 Jul 2009, 12:02 AM
Lion-O's is missing Eye of Thundera on his chest!! Can't wait to see the sword of omens. Looks awesome.
Posted 26 Jul 2009, 4:10 PM
I'm big on anything that has to do with cats.
My boyfriend will want to see this.
Posted 29 Jul 2009, 5:00 AM
Lion-O looks gay. But that's okay, I'm gay also.
Posted 29 Jul 2009, 8:44 PM
Jesus toe tapping Christ what the hell did they do to Lion-O? My favourite character soiled forever!!
Posted 02 Aug 2009, 4:56 PM
A THUNDERCATS film would be AWESOME if thy follow the heart of it. Can u imagine Michael Clarke Duncan as Panthro or Kate Beckinsale as Cheetarah? Or may Andy Serkis as Snarf, maybe Morgan Freeman as Mumm-Ra??? Dude!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Posted 02 Aug 2009, 5:39 PM
Hello, I am a total fan of the Thundercats and I really would love to see the Thundercats nonanimated movie cause I had seemed the tv series like I said I am a fan and would love to see the movie.
I seemed them ever since I was a little girl and I still following them here on my cable channel called on the demand and has this nostalgia show about them it is so cool to see them after so many years.
Posted 02 Aug 2009, 8:20 PM
a post war costumes a little punk, some even improvised.
I think all that did not agree with that position female
and a nice face too,
I think we need something a little more aggressive facial masculine more post war.
Posted 02 Aug 2009, 9:54 PM
Hey , check it out the tattoo in the right arm !
:D
(thundercats logo)
Posted 03 Aug 2009, 10:30 AM
It would be awesome to see this series revisited as a movie but please keep in mind the Hollywood rape factor. Look what they did to Transformers and G.I. Joe.
Posted 03 Aug 2009, 11:02 AM
This is fantastic! I will be needing to watch this!
Posted 03 Aug 2009, 12:29 PM
É isso aí pessoal: Thundercats é o máximo!
Nunca vai morrer e vai dar o que falar!
Parabéns pela escolha: o Brasil espera pelos Thundercats!!!!
Abraços!
Posted 03 Aug 2009, 12:31 PM
´vai plantar coquinho seu babaca duma figa!
Posted 03 Aug 2009, 12:56 PM
Lion no estilo Mad Max. Legal, ficou bacana!
Posted 03 Aug 2009, 1:19 PM
His mouth looks too human.
Posted 03 Aug 2009, 8:26 PM
some of the art looks interesting, though I can't stand the Lion-o. His face is just devoid of all character, so boring to look at.
Posted 03 Aug 2009, 11:49 PM
Much closer to the vision for live action Thundercats.
http://gregsemkowart.com/liono.html
In Memory of Ted Wolf
The Legend Lives On
Posted 04 Aug 2009, 4:09 AM
Simplismente demais, quando estrear aqui no Brasil serei um dos primeiro a ir ao cinema!
Posted 04 Aug 2009, 8:37 AM
cenas do mum rá que vazaram http://xpock.tv/play.php?vid=2252
Posted 04 Aug 2009, 4:09 PM
ok everything is fine but why the hell does lion-o look like bruno and why does he have a tatto im not happy about that please fix it
Posted 05 Aug 2009, 12:35 AM
This looks great. Is it set as live action or animation?
Also, please leave Snarf out . . . unless of course its going to be some vicious blood-thirsty pet, and not some whiny mom figure.
Posted 05 Aug 2009, 12:54 AM
This looks very interesting. A live action film has got to come together sooner or later. Let's all hope when that day comes, it's raw and serious and not a comedy filled joke.
Also if anyone here loved the theme song.... You'll love this link and you just might get a bit emotional:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QdzwCEMSPHM&feature=related
Also you can download the MP3: http://www.televisiontunes.com/ThunderCats_-_Orchestral.html
Posted 05 Aug 2009, 12:03 PM
I knew I had good taste as a kid and my strange cartoon crushs weren't misplaced. ROWR Lion-O...lookin TASTY
Posted 05 Aug 2009, 2:29 PM
It's about time.
This is the only 80's treasure I ever really WANTED to see developed into a movie, and for some bizarre reason it's been completely ignored--it has such amazing potential, and that art is BEAUTIFUL
PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE MAKE IT HAPPEN
Posted 05 Aug 2009, 2:34 PM
this is great i cant' wait to see more! all my friends loved thundercats too.
Posted 05 Aug 2009, 10:07 PM
This is horrible. It looks like Ron Pearlman being the beast and Linda Hamilton is missing. This Lion'o look horrible. The design look's like a humannoid Lion being a wuss. They should stick close to the original design. A total redesign on Lion'o please Warner Brothers.
Posted 10 Aug 2009, 11:29 AM
dude, these images are incredible! jerry o'flaherty's gears of war is amazing.. can you imagine if he directed g.i. joe??
Posted 10 Aug 2009, 4:24 PM
Come on...look at Lion-o's arms! They're massive! I'd pay to see more of that anyday.
Posted 10 Aug 2009, 11:49 PM
Apparently everything in the future has "Movieline" plastered over it...
</ sarcasm>
Posted 12 Aug 2009, 10:32 AM
only thing I'd keep are the boots
a CGI movie instead at least 300 realism will be like Star Wars:The Clone Wars is to the real deal
Posted 13 Aug 2009, 11:34 AM
Wow, this looks terrible. I am a huge ThunderCats fan and have been anxiously awaiting this movie, but I pray that they don't use this horrible design for Lion-O.
Posted 13 Aug 2009, 8:11 PM
I've been a fan from the very first episode and have to say - this looks freaking amazing!! Please keep these images coming. Cheetara! Mumm-Ra! Panthro! Where are you guys??
Posted 18 Aug 2009, 6:51 PM
I've seen much much much interesting looking thundercat interpretations over the years at polycount.net, conceptart.org, deviantart.com and a few other art sites.
When will the hollywood idiots learn to just google for TRUE HUGE fans of the property and get their suggestions before starting anything.
Posted 18 Aug 2009, 7:30 PM
Hey.. that liono looks like a tamed tatted romeo, wonder why the gals dig it so much. Too much a twist for this Thunder-Kat, I like the O.G. style... I know the toon style might be o.d.'ing it too for this flic but c'mon ppl!? Enough of this japan-a-mania-ism-ation date movie $#*!
Posted 25 Aug 2009, 4:37 PM
Don't listen to these nay-sayers. I'm a huge fan of Thundercats, I loved the old cartoon, but you can't make a modern movie look like the old designs or it will look rediculous. The artwork on this page looks incredible and much more realistic than anything that could be taken from the old show. Excellent job, stick with your designs and don't let a few past-huggers sway your current view for this movie. Great Lion-O'.
Posted 31 Aug 2009, 11:23 PM
This rendering of Lion-O is of a super duper bad ass, extra slick, hyper designed, beyond buff, ultra cool dude. One problem, that isn't Lion-O. This rendering looks like a war hardened mercenary. Lion-O was just a lad that recently got his muscles. He was naive and playful. He wondered about innocent things as he talked to Snarf on a forest walk. He laughed a lot and wanted the best for everyone. Yes, he had a certain arrogance when fighting Mumm-Ra and the mutants, but he's still just a muscular boy and not a fashionable mercenary. And this dudes eyes are too close together too.
I'll give it an A for effort, but it takes more than effort and bad ass intentions. We need to capture the character here and we have failed to do so. To draw up yet another hollywood bad boy makes it blend into everything we've already seen, and therefore less special. And Thundercats is very very special.
Posted 25 Nov 2009, 10:36 AM
Samuel,
Yeah, imagine him looking like this, but acting like the naif who just got off the ship. That's what this was.
Posted 13 Sep 2009, 12:44 AM
thats what lion-o's suit should look like!
Posted 29 Sep 2009, 9:26 PM
That looks nothing like Lion-O. His face resembles Jackalman more than Lion-O. It's good to update and improve on the original design but don't change it so much that there isn't even a shred of the original design left! We love the old Thundercats.
Posted 17 Dec 2009, 3:11 PM
Guys all that I can say about this
movie is that I am sold and this
movie gets my votes. Well almost I
mean the graphics seem Wicked Sick
(if that is even a term). But to be
frankly quite honest that guy who
is he supposed to be because I am
telling you that sure as heck doesn't
look like the Lion-o that I grew up
watching and knew. Sure he looks
like some Mutated cat/Lion humanoid
but he sure as heck doesn't look like
the Lion-o we all knew and grew up with.
Call me old fashioned if you like or
whatever but let me tell you I don't
like change a whole lot and if this is
going to be as true to the animated series
and also if this is an full CGI movie
like Final Fantasy Children then I want
to see the original uniform unless it
is based in the future (ie after the show
ended) only then will I accept a new design
and even then I would like to see the
original suit via flashback and kept as
a memento or something. If this is going
to be a live action movie then I can
understand the actors may feel a bit foolish
and may not want to wear such clothes
so I may go for some changes but sure as
my name is ..... I dont want to see this
much change. Also where in blazes is his
Sword, plus these guys haven't even got
the Thundercat insignia Right. If these
people want my vote for good reviews cool
graphics and great storylines aren't going
to fully sell it to me I want classic
originalities as well as well as the great
sense of humor that was always present in
that show. Cant wait to see images of the
Thunder Tank and Cats Lair as well plus
the images of all the other Thundercats as
well and yes that includes Snarf. The new
guys can always come in some sequel. Plus
I would also like to see images of the
villains.
I would love to hear your comments on this
post.
till next time
make mine Marvel
Nuff Said
A Loyal Fan
Posted 22 Feb 2010, 9:53 AM
I grew up watching the Thundercats! lol everyday I would run home to plop down in front of the TV and watch my beloved Cats. I must say the new drawings are amazing! As much as the 80's comic book tights were fun at the time.... The new look is AMAZING! Lion-O has a much more realistic grasp to him. Its great to see a revamp on these dated cartoon characters. Dont get me wrong the tights and cheesy oneliners were great when I was in my young teens but its 2010! Time for some changes! I just hope they dont get crazy and GI Joe this film.