Thundercats Revealed!

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Thundercats! Ho! It’s the battle cry that I listened to regularly in the 80’s, and it’s about to be heard again later this year. The folks at Coming Soon shared the official release from Warner Bros. Animation that was distributed after a fan uploaded an image of the new Thundercats. It was fuzzy, but it got people talking.

Thundercats was about a group of aliens that were half cat and half humanoid that fled to Third Earth when their planet was taken over by mutants. The leader of the group was Lion-O, although he did get input from the other members of the team since he was essentially a boy in a man’s body. Wielding the Sword of Omens, Lion-O and the other Thundercats constantly fought against the mutants who had tracked their escape and the ancient, evil Mumm-ra.

If you compare the picture above to the one below, you’ll see that the changes between the old and new are minor, with the greatest change being in Lion-O himself. The new leader of the Thundercats is a sleeker and slimmer version than his 80’s predecessor, and the mile-high hair is thankfully gone. Cheetara looks similar to the older version, except someone took a weed-eater to her hair, and Panthro also remains similar to his 80’s counterpart, although it looks like the artist was inspired by the Incredible Hulk this time around. Tygra looks essentially the same, except for new clothes.

Japanese animators Studio4°C are handling the animation, which probably explains the strong anime look of this revived piece of nostalgia. Check out the press release below to find out what’s in store for fans of the new Thundercats.

Roaring to life through WBA and Studio4°C’s use of the Japanese animated artistry of anime, “ThunderCats” characters Lion-O, Mumm-Ra, Panthro, Cheetara and others will spring off the screen with realistic cat-like characteristics inconceivable in previous incarnations.

The new “ThunderCats” will appeal to viewers who have loved the characters all their lives as well as young newcomers to the franchise. A sweeping tale combining swords and science and boasting ferocious battles with the highest of stakes, the grand origin story of Prince Lion-O’s ascension to the throne – and of those who would thwart his destiny at any cost – takes on epic dimensions in this sharp new telling. As the forces of good and evil battle each other in the quest for the fabled Stones of Power, Lion-O and his champions learn valuable lessons of loyalty, honor and mortality in every episode.

“ThunderCats” is executive produced by Sam Register (“Teen Titans,” “Ben 10,” “Batman: The Brave and the Bold”). Michael Jelenic (“Batman: The Brave and the Bold,” “Wonder Woman”) and Ethan Spaulding (“Avatar: The Last Airbender”) are the producers.