ThunderCats: Villains

 The Villains:

 

Idris Elba (Pacific Rim, The Jungle Book) as MUMM-RA: Alongside Cobra Commander and Megatron, Mumm-Ra is one of the most popular and feared villains from any of the 80’s cartoons.  He is a demon-priest, that serves the Ancient Spirits of Evil, and resides within the Black Pyramid on Third Earth.  He exists in a weakened mummified form that must return to a stone sarcophagus to replenish his energy.  However, he can transform himself into a more powerful being by reciting the incantation: "Ancient Spirits of Evil, transform this decayed form... to Mumm-Ra, the Ever-Living!"  No matter what form he is in, his one weakness is seeing his own hideous reflection; which forces him to retreat back to the Black Pyramid.  He cannot be killed, because "Wherever evil exists, Mumm-Ra lives!"

Additional suggestions: Sharlto Copley (District 9, The A-Team); Gerard Butler (300, Greenland); or Matthew McConaughey (Interstellar, Dallas Buyers Club).

 

 

Nick Frost (Shaun of the Dead, Hot Fuzz) as SLITHE: The self-appointed leader of the Mutants on Third Earth.  He is ruthless, cruel, and arrogant; which often leads to overconfidence on the battlefield.  His weapon of choice is the battle-axe.  The Mutants are from the planet Plun-Darr and have unsuccessfully tried to invade Thundera many times.  As planet Thundera was exploding, the Mutant army chased after the survivors to eradicate anyone escaping.  The Mutant Mothership chased the Royal Flagship with the intention of stealing the Eye of Thundera, that is hidden within the hilt of the Sword of Omens.  Eventually, they located the Thundercats crashed ship on Third Earth and made a deal with Mumm-Ra, after their vessel sank beneath the desert sands.  They managed to construct their own fortress, which they called Castle Plun-Darr after their homeworld, and salvaged equipment from their downed spaceship to build weapons and vehicles that they could use on Third Earth (i.e. the Skycutters, the Nosediver, etc).  In general, the mutants exhibit an extraordinary incompetence that was characteristic of most cartoon villains.

Additional suggestions: Andy Serkis (The Hobbit, Black Panther); Timothy Spall (Harry Potter, Enchanted); or Steve Buscemi (Desperado, Fargo).

 

 

Simon Pegg (Shaun of the Dead, Star Trek) as JACKALMAN: Although Slithe calls him "Jackalman", his real name is Kaynar.  His cunning mind is constantly trying to view all sides of a situation and he’s very cautious before doing anything.  Whenever Slithe announces an attack plan or expedition, Jackalman tends to question whether it is prudent.  Because of this, Slithe often accuses him of being a coward.  Jackalman is definitely an opportunist; mostly seen as an obedient lackey, but willing to risk everything for more power.  He is always questioning and undermining Slithe’s leadership role in an effort to assume it for himself.  His weapon of choice is a wooden club and sometimes a net gun.  He also pilots a Skycutter.

Additional suggestions: Adam Sandler (Waterboy, Billy Madison); Karl Urban (Star Trek, Dredd); or Paul Rudd (Ant-Man, Knocked Up).

 

 

Mark Hamill (Star Wars, Knightfall) as MONKIAN: Although Slithe calls him "Monkian", his real name is Addicus.  He is a very good spy, a shifty no-good eavesdropper, and the mission scout.  Known for being all brawn and low on brains; his imposing stature is accompanied by an almost childlike mentality.  When sharing information, he gets so hyperactively excited that Slithe must tell him to slow down.  Once the Mutants manage to piece together what he is attempting to say, Monkian disappointingly sighs "That's what I've been trying to say!"  Occasionally he can be mildly rebellious toward Slithe.  When Monkian finds the Sword of Omens unguarded, Jackalman suggests they should tell Slithe, but Monkian asserts the two of them should control the sword and put Slithe back in the kitchen where he belongs.  His weapon of choice is a ball-and-chain flail; sometimes wielding a cannon shield.  He pilots one of the Skycutters.

Additional suggestions: Sebastian Stan (Avengers, Black Swan); Robin Lord Taylor (Gotham); or Tom Hardy (Venom, Warrior).

 

 

Lennie James (The Walking Dead, Snatch) as VULTUREMAN: He is the brains behind the muscles; an arrogant scientist who knows that he is smarter than his barbaric peers.  Vultureman serves as chief inventor and mechanical know-it-all for the Mutants.  His skills with both machines and science make him indispensable, but he is more often than not blamed when his devices or machines fail to live up to Slithe's expectations.  He pilots a vulture-styled Flying Machine, carries a crossbow-shaped weapon, and later commands weapons like the Mutank and Thundrainium Cannon.  His ambitious nature is evident by the number of times that he has broken ranks with the Mutants; either striking a solo deal with Mumm-Ra or joining up with the ThunderCats' other enemies.

Additional suggestions: John Malkovich (Con Air, Warm Bodies); Joel Kinnaman (Suicide Squad, RoboCop); or John Turturro (Transformers, Mr. Deeds).

 

 

Jason Mamoa (Aquaman, Braven) as GRUNE: He was once a respected and revered Thundercat warrior.  Grune wields a mace and possesses immense superhuman strength.  His great-grandfather was Lord of the ThunderCats, so he is related to Lion-O and the royal family.  King Claudus entrusted him and Panthro to find the Book of Omens.  Later, Grune and Panthro fought bravely for the promotion to general; only to find out that the job was already given to Lynx-O.  This caused a rift and his thirst for power led to a failed rebellion against King Claudus.  He was exiled into space, but eventually landed on Third Earth where he looted and dispensed terror across the planet, gaining the name of Grune the Destroyer.  At some point, Grune lost one of his fangs.

Additional suggestions: Jon Bernthal (The Walking Dead, The Punisher); Hugh Jackman (X-Men, Real Steel); or Chris Evans (Avengers, Knives Out).

 

 

To be continued . . .

ThunderCats: Heroes

The Heroes:

 

Christian Bale (The Dark Knight, Rescue Dawn) as CLAUDUS: He is Lion-O's father and the previous Lord of the ThunderCats, who ruled Thundera before its destruction.  In a previous battle with the mutants of Plun-Darr, he lost his sight.  His wife died while giving birth to Lion-O.  He sent Panthro and Grune to find the Book of Omens.  After Grune and Panthro fought bravely for the promotion to general, Claudus told them that he had already given the job to Lynx-O. 

Additional suggestions: Russell Crowe (Gladiator, A Beautiful Mind).

 

 

Michael Fassbender (X-Men, Prometheus) as JAGA: He is also known as "Jaga the Wise" and is basically the Obi-Wan Kenobi of the series.  It was Jaga who gathered the nobles of the Thundercats to escort Lion-O and the Eye of Thundera to safety, but did not survive the trip to Third Earth as he volunteered to pilot the damaged ship while the others slept.  Because of this, Jaga died of old age.  However, Jaga does reappear on Third Earth as a ghost (seen only by Lion-O at first) to guide him in his lessons and adventures.  He is critical in the development of Lion-O as an adult and leader to the surviving Thundercats. 

Additional suggestions: Liam Neeson (Taken, The Grey); or Bryan Cranston (Breaking Bad, The Upside).

 

 

Charlie Hunnam (Sons of Anarchy, Pacific Rim) as LION-O: He is the leader and the hereditary Lord of the Thundercats.  He wields the legendary Sword of Omens, which is able to fire bolts of energy and allows Lion-O to see across great distances with its power of "Sight Beyond Sight."  As well as the Claw Shield, a gauntlet that launches grappling lines from its claws.  A mere child of twelve years old at the time of Thundera's destruction, Lion-O aged to adulthood during the trip to Third Earth when his suspension capsule failed.  Although cunning and skillful, he is truly a child in a man's body, and throughout the series, must learn what it takes to become a true leader and gain true maturity. 

Additional suggestions: Chris Hemsworth (Thor, Extraction); Liam Hemsworth (Hunger Games); or Henry Cavill (Man of Steel, Immortals).

 

 

Vin Diesel (Fast & Furious, Pitch Black) as PANTHRO: He is a great warrior and loyal soldier to King Claudus.  Physically the strongest Thundercat, but also the chief mechanic/engineer and pilot.  With Tygra's help, he builds all of the vehicles that the ThunderCats use on Third Earth.  Panthro is a stone-cold warrior that lives by the ThunderCat code, but he also has a fear of bats.  In combat, he uses a pair of nunchucks.  The spikes on his chest bands can be used as projectile weapons or as rappelling lines.  On the field of battle, he is cool, calm, and collected.  Because of this, Panthro has gained respect both from friends and enemies alike.  However, due to his warrior personality, he is known to lose his patience with the other ThunderCats. 

Additional suggestions: Dave Bautista (Guardians of the Galaxy); Terry Crews (White Chicks, The Longest Yard); Henry Simmons (Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.); or Common (Wanted, John Wick).

 

 

Jessica Parker Kennedy (The Flash, Black Sails) as CHEETARA: She is the last remaining warrior from Thundera's Order of Clerics.  She is as lovely as she is brave and caring.  Often a voice of reason; she is also the bearer of a budding "sixth sense," detecting when something is unsafe or if evil is near.  She has incredible speed, once clocked at 120 mph on a morning jog.  She can maintain this speed only for brief periods, but with it, she is very fast in combat.  Her weapon of choice is a baton that expands into a bo that can grow or shrink to variable lengths.  When not in use, it is attached to her left armband.  She is the only adult female ThunderCat, until the later appearance of Pumyra. 

Additional suggestions: Zoe Saldana (Avatar, Guardians of the Galaxy); Blake Lively (The Town, Green Lantern); or Q’oriankin Kilcher (Yellowstone, The New World).

 

 

Garrett Hedlund (Country Strong, Tron Legacy) as TYGRA: As a baby, he was sent to Thundera by his biological father Javan to be raised by Claudus and his wife.  When his foster mother died while giving birth to Lion-O, a deep animosity was created and evolved into a life-long sibling rivalry.  He is like a big brother to Lion-O and officially second-in-command to the leader.  When Lion-O is in doubt, the level-headed Tygra offers wisdom and counsel.  Patient, analytic, and calm, he considers every part of the problem before making a decision.  Known as an architect and a scientist, he designs all the vehicles/structures that Panthro builds for the Thundercats.  In battle, he uses a whip-like bola and can render himself invisible to the naked eye.  His weakness is that he cannot swim.

Additional suggestions: Steven Yeun (Walking Dead, Minari); Sterling K. Brown (American Crime Story, This Is Us); or Dev Patel (Slumdog Millionaire, Lion).

 

 

Jack Black (Nacho Libre, Kung Fu Panda) as SNARF: The Snarfs are a race of intelligent cat-like creatures that are plump, fuzzy, and kind.  Snarfs are native to Thundera; living in the Valley of Snarfs.  Many of their numbers act as servants to Thunderean nobility; happily working as cooks, nursemaids, squires, and so forth.  As a boy, Lion-O is given a Snarf by his father Claudus to serve as his nursemaid and protector.  He is an elderly Snarf that is officially named Osbert; which he hates.  After Lion-O grew up, Snarf found that Lion-O did not want to have him "mothering" or protecting him.  However, Snarf remained loyal to his promise to protect Lion-O and, a few times, has come through in a pinch to save his friends.  He has the ability to communicate with other animals on Third Earth and will enlist their help with his tasks.  Due to his age, he is a constant worrier and complainer.  His catch-phrase is “SNARF-SNARF.”

Additional suggestions: Simon Helberg (Big Bang Theory); Danny DeVito (Twins, The Lorax); or Bill Murray (Ghostbusters, Garfield).

 

 

Evan Alex (Us) as WILYKAT: The youngest members of the Thundercats team are the twins, who are commonly referred to as the “Thunderkittens.”  Kat is the older brother and Kit the younger sister.  When their spaceship left Thundera, they were about the same age as Lion-O.  Since their suspension capsules didn't malfunction, they stayed as children.  Due to their age, they are naturally the mischief-makers and often learn their own lessons alongside Lion-O.  Wilykat tends to be the more cautious of the two.

Additional suggestions: Philip Zhao (Ready Player One); Bryce Gheisar (Wonder, A Dog’s Purpose); or Iain Armitage (Young Sheldon).

 

 

Faithe Herman (Shazam!, HBO's Watchmen) as WILYKIT: As twin siblings, Wilykit has a tomboy personality and Wilykat is the more mature half of the duo.  Their agility is often displayed when they ride their "space boards;" specially designed surfboards that can carry them long distances.  Each uses special capsules, balls and other gimmick weapons carried in pouches and on their belts.  They sometimes use slingshots to fire these at the Mutants or other foes.  They also carry trick lariats, with which they can either tangle and ensnare foes, or use to pull themselves out of danger.  Like any adolescents, they’re always getting themselves into trouble while looking for things to do around Third Earth.

Additional suggestions: Raegan Revord (Young Sheldon); McKenna Grace (Gifted, Captain Marvel); or Makenzie Moss (The Unicorn).

 

 

Michael Rooker (The Walking Dead, Guardians of the Galaxy) as LYNX-O: He was a general under Claudus.  As the planet Thundera was dying, he was trying to get to the Thundercats flagship, with Pumyra and Bengali.  Unfortunately, they were too late.  By a cruel twist of fate, Lynx-O was spared the sight of his homeworld’s destruction when a blast of intense heat and fire blinded him moments before he and his two younger companions were rescued by a pair of Berbils.  Their ship was damaged in the explosion and it eventually crashed on Third Earth; a deserted island, where they made their new home.  Because of his blindness, Lynx-O had to adapt to survive on Third Earth and honed his other senses to super-human levels.  His sense of touch, smell, taste, and hearing are far above those of the other ThunderCats.

Additional suggestions: Ice Cube (Ride Along, Boyz N the Hood); Willem Dafoe (Spider-Man, Finding Nemo); or Jason Sudeikis (We’re the Millers, Colossal).

 

 

Alexandra Daddario (Percy Jackson, Baywatch) as PUMYRA: She is a healer, who uses her knowledge of Thunderian medicine, combined with the wide range of medical supplies found on Third Earth, to keep her fellow ThunderCats healthy.  Her compassionate nature leads her to search for ways of solving problems or conflict without fighting.  In combat, she uses a special whipcord, which resembles a "cat's tail," that can launch special pellets and spheres like an ancient sling.

Additional suggestions: Natalia Dyer (Stranger Things); Sophie Turner (Game of Thrones, X-Men); or Scarlett Johansson (Avengers, Jojo Rabbit).

 

 

Jake Gyllenhaal (Source Code, Southpaw) as BENGALI: He comes from a long line of blacksmiths; which proved valuable when the Sword of Omens was broken.  In combat, Bengali wields a weapon called the Hammer of Thundera (which he also uses when doing blacksmith-related work).  It can shoot energy blasts and carries smoke pellets in its handle; which causes confusion and provides cover when withdrawing from a fight.

Additional suggestions: Ben Hardy (X-Men, Only the Brave); Tye Sheridan (X-Men, Ready Player One); or Nicholas Hoult (Warm Bodies, About a Boy).

 

 

To be continued . . .

 

ThunderCats: Movie

“Thunder . . . Thunder . . . ThunderCats HOOO!”

 

Recently it was announced that Adam Wingard, the director of Godzilla vs. Kong, would be spearheading a live-action ThunderCats film.  After years of disappointment, the fans finally have reason to rejoice.

 

The original animated series aired from 1985 to 1989; before booming into a franchise of comics, action figures, and video games.  They revived it for a single season on Cartoon Network in 2011 and then again in 2020 under the title “Thundercats Roar.”

 

Thundercats centered around a group of warriors, who were cat-like humanoids, that made Third Earth their home after their planet was destroyed.  If Hollywood used the Sword of Omens to give them “Sight Beyond Sight,” they’d have greenlit this project thirty years ago.

 

 

WHY HAS THUNDERCATS TAKEN SO LONG

In October 2007, Hollywood announced that they were moving forward with a CGI-animated Thundercats film and planned to release it in 2010.  At the time, Jerry O’Flaherty (the art director for Gears of War) was hired to direct the movie and the script was written by Paul Sopocy. 

 

In July 2009, Movieline presented four concept art pieces done by Jerry O’Flaherty.  They presented some fantastic shots of Lion-O, The Pyramid, Third Earth, and Mutant Attack on the Thundercats Ship.

https://news.thundercats.ws/2009/07/24/live-action-thundercats-concept-art-29#tc

 

In February 2011, some test footage from the doomed ThunderCats film made it online.  The scene includes a young Lion-O and Slithe; with additional footage of what the Sword of Omens would have looked like.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QtTZu9OlypU

 

In July 2011, LiarDice Films provided some production art from the cancelled Thundercats Movie; which shows that they may have been completely redesigning the characters.  The art is by Dave Bullock, an artist and animator who has worked on Transformers: Prime, Teen Titans, Star Wars: The Clone Wars and many other projects.

https://news.thundercats.ws/2011/07/06/cancelled-thundercats-movie-concept-art-and-storyboards-164

 

Hollywood may have canceled the CGI film in favor of focusing on ThunderCats (2011 TV series).  However, a live-action project was being developed by Rideback’s Dan Lin and Vertigo’s Roy Lee (who were producers on Wingard’s Death Note).  They hired David Coggeshall, the head writer on Watch Over Me, to write the script.

 

 

THUNDERCATS RELEASE DATE INFO

Adam Wingard and his writing partner, Simon Barrett, will be writing the script from scratch.  So don’t expect to be visiting Thundera or Third Earth until 2023 at the earliest.

 

 

THUNDERCATS STORY DETAILS

In the 10th grade, Wingard wrote a 272-page screenplay of a ThunderCats film and describes this opportunity as a "dream project."  There was a script previously written by David Coggeshall, but Wingard has decided to do a complete rewrite.

 

However, he made it abundantly clear that his characters will not look like the live-action version of “Cats.”  He would prefer to take a CGI-approach to the visuals and embrace the 80’s aesthetics of the original series.

 

“I don’t want to reinvent the way they look; I want them to look like Thundercats,” Wingard said.  “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.”

 

Even though there aren’t very many details, it’s nice to know that he intends to stay true to the classic ThunderCats, both in mythology and aesthetics.  In an interview with Den of Geek, Wingard explained that he wants the ThunderCats reboot to feel like an 80’s cartoon adventure that adults and kids alike can relate to.

 

We’ll be happy as long as it doesn’t look like this . . . https://youtu.be/UHml_J1PN9Y

THUNDERCATS CAST

While there have been no official announcements for cast members, every fan has spent years thinking about the perfect star for each role.  Check out https://www.mycast.io/stories/thundercats or https://www.mycast.io/stories/thundercats-live-action-film to see some of the suggestions.

 

To get the ball rolling for Hollywood, we decided to select the best actors to fill these iconic roles.  Here is our Dream Cast for a live-action Thundercats film!

To be continued . . .