What animated properties do you think would translate well into live-action?

[CJ]

In recent years, there's been a trend in Hollywood to take a popular animated character or franchise, and put it into a live-action setting. (Smurfs, Alvin & the Chipmunks, The Lion King) These films are usually not well-recieved by fans who would just prefer to see their beloved characters in an animated movie and are often seen as a cheap cash-grab.

That being said, what animated series or characters do you think would actually benefit from being reimagined in a live-action movie?

 

[CJ]

Cowboy Bebop
I'm aware Netflix is already doing this, but I'm talking about a theaterical release, with a big-budget. The story can probably be told in three films, spanning the best storylines of the series.

Animaniacs
The Warner Bros (and sister) are supposed to be living cartoons who walk amongst people in the real world so this makes perfect sense. Just do it like Roger Rabbit.

 

[Immortalfire]

Darkwing Duck

 

[Asr]

Gargoyles—but only if made by the right director, like someone with a penchant for dark & mature mysteries, like maybe Fincher? Or I wouldn't mind James Wan either, for a more horror-type movie.

 

[terry78]

Jordan Peele wanted to do Gargoyles last year, but Disney didn't want to pull the trigger.

 

[Asr]

Disney sucks.

 

[Breogan]

Disney ..... _______

It'll never end, this isn't over until Disney has done every last thing in live action...


That includes:

Animated GIF - Find & Share on GIPHY

 

[Spider-Aziz]

The Zeta Project. I don't think DC comics published comics based on this cartoon, let alone transfer it to their mainstream comic line.
In the era of needlessly milking the Terminator more than two and a half decades after the end of it, this will be a timely project, hopefully handled with much care, love, and quality.

 

[Kahran Ramsus]

Slayers. I've wanted to see a live-action theatrical version for years. With its open format focused more around its great cast of characters as much as a specific plot, it seems tailor-made for live action and wide appeal. Lina Inverse is such a fun character, one of my all-time favorites. The book series just relaunched as well so the timing would be good.

The Big O could be amazing in live action but given the history of similar serious sci-fi films like Blade Runner, I suspect that nobody would actually see it.

Believe it or not, one that might work is Panty & Stocking with Garterbelt. Yes, it would offend a good portion of the planet, but Deadpool shows that there is a large market out there for that sort of ultra-crude humor/action blend.

 

[Dark Raven]

Battle of the Planets, which is what the Russo Bros already want to make.

 

[Breogan]

-Atlantis (Disney)
-Gargoyles
-Thunder Cats
-Silver Hawks
-Voltron
-the Bakshi/Frazetta; Fire and Ice (but mah song of ice and fire? (yeah this was first.
-Dungeons and Dragons (based on cartoon)
-Blue Falcon & Dynomutt (comedy obviously
-Carmen Sandiego (as adult)
-The Impossibles (Superhero band, pretty much what if Beatles/Ramones were secret super hero agents.
-Thirteen Treasures of Dark Water
-Thundarr
-Jonny Quest
-Herculoids (This one is such a great, bizarre absolute genre mash, Hollywood wouldn't even know how to approach it:: Part epic fantasy mythology, sword sorcery, (see Conan, Lord of the Rings, Excalibur to Clash of the Titans, etc), part future, sci-fi, space opera (John Carter, Flash Gordon, Star Wars) , part giant monster creature feature / prehistoric lost word (Jules Verne Journeys, Godzilla, Kong, the Blob, etc), all wrapped in a (Super-Hero) family adventure drama (Family Robinson, Lost in Space, FF, etc.), all in one.

 

[Breogan]

Any one of these four would all work live action. Just a mater of which one gets there first, then the others will all be accused of copying. LOL.

 

[2kt09]

Any one of these four would all work live action. Just a mater of which one gets there first, then the others will all be accused of copying. LOL.

Oh wow, they even did one for Zorro. Not sure why that was all the rage at the time.

 

[Dark Raven]

Oh wow, they even did one for Zorro. Not sure why that was all the rage at the time.

Why do they make this as if it's such a futuristic thing like Buck Rogers in the 25th Century? The 22nd century is only 81 years away.

The BBC Sherlock or Elementary could easily be Sherlock Holmes in the 21st Century.

 

[2kt09]

Why do they make this as if it's such a futuristic thing like Buck Rogers in the 25th Century? The 22nd century is only 81 years away.

The BBC Sherlock or Elementary could easily be Sherlock Holmes in the 21st Century.

for the future tech like holographic masks and flying cars

 

[Shinobi Shaw]

Cybersix. No one remembers that show except me and two other people, but it could be a good live action movie. She was like the love child of Carmen Sandiego and Sailor Uranus.

I'm not a fan of turning anime into American movies, but I think there's a way to make Yu Yu Hakusho work.

 

[Dark Raven]

for the future tech like holographic masks and flying cars

I don't know if we'll have flying cars then. Back to the Future 2 speculated they would be everywhere by 2015. Instead we got Fant4stic that year.

 

[2kt09]

I don't know if we'll have flying cars then. Back to the Future 2 speculated they would be everywhere by 2015. Instead we got Fant4stic that year.

advancing drone tech
Also, we're already a 1/16 of the way with androids to make that Watson a reality

 

[Kahran Ramsus]

Any one of these four would all work live action. Just a mater of which one gets there first, then the others will all be accused of copying. LOL.

Batman Beyond with Michael Keaton reprising his role as Bruce Wayne would be like something out of a blissful dream.

Another series that I can't believe I forgot about earlier, but I'd love to see in live action is Lupin the Third. And much like James Bond and Batman, Lupin has had such a wide range of styles over the years they could do basically anything. From light-hearted comedic adventures ala Adam West and Roger Moore to dark and gritty ala Christian Bale and Daniel Craig.

 

[DarkKnight88]

I know this goes against the thread, but I think by virtue of something being animated, it goes against it being done in live-action.

For example, all of the Pixar films should never be translated to live-action as their stories and designs were created specifically for animation.

Personally, I think you do a project in animation when it simply won't translate to live-action and vice versa.

 

[Kahran Ramsus]

I know this goes against the thread, but I think by virtue of something being animated, it goes against it being done in live-action.

For example, all of the Pixar films should never be translated to live-action as their stories and designs were created specifically for animation.

Personally, I think you do a project in animation when it simply won't translate to live-action and vice versa.

There is some truth to this, but not necessarily in all cases. I definitely think there are many that would indeed work in live-action because they don't depend on animation as an artform as much. Something like Revolutionary Girl Utena? Yeah, even if the story and characters would work in live action, it would lose so much in terms of visualization that it would be hard to imagine it not being animated.

 

[Milk Tray Guy]

Gargoyles—but only if made by the right director, like someone with a penchant for dark & mature mysteries, like maybe Fincher? Or I wouldn't mind James Wan either, for a more horror-type movie.

I've never seen Gargoyles but I've seen comments along the lines of 'If you like the DCAU, you'll love Gargoyles'. Was it just an enjoyable cartoon romp, or did it have some depth like the DCAU?

 

[terry78]

 

[Asr]

I've never seen Gargoyles but I've seen comments along the lines of 'If you like the DCAU, you'll love Gargoyles'. Was it just an enjoyable cartoon romp, or did it have some depth like the DCAU?

The show had about the same level of maturity and depth as BTAS, and dealt often with themes of betrayal, as characters often had hidden agendas. Seriously, if you enjoy BTAS, you should watch Gargoyles.

 

[Milk Tray Guy]

@terry78 @Asr Thanks. I'll keep a watch out for the DVDs.