With Bumblebee (2018) and Masters of the Universe (2026) now under his belt, director Travis Knight may have scratched his itch for bringing 1980s cartoons to the big screen. But if he’s not quite ready to move on from this highly addictive decade, then plenty of nostalgia junkies would certainly welcome more from the filmmaker.
The first 15 minutes of Bumblebee brought ‘80s Transformers to the screen in a way no other Transformers movie had pulled off before, while all 140 minutes of Masters of the Universe proved to be a love letter to He-Man. The imagination, the spectacle, the fun – it was all there, and now we want more!
So, let’s for one second imagine a world in which Travis Knight is itching to direct another ‘80s property and keep the momentum going. What should be next?
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She-Ra: Princess of Power
The obvious choice has to sit at the top of this list.
After tackling Masters of the Universe, and briefly introducing She-Ra in a mid-credit scene, surely He-Man’s sister should be next on Travis Knight’s docket? Just think about it – an origin tale for the Princess of Power, which includes an uprising against the Horde, followed by a third-act team-up with He-Man to defeat Hordak.
Introduce many of She-Ra’s pals, throw in a cameo for Skeletor (perhaps via a flashback), and continue the mix of mysticism and mirth. It has crowd-pleaser written all over it.
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Visionaries: Knights of the Magical Light
And speaking of mysticism, it would be great to see Knight take on Visionaries. This amazing ‘80s property doesn’t get nearly as much love as it should, yet it’s a marvellous IP which is just ripe for revisiting.
Make this one another origin tale and the film could depict the loss of technology on the planet Prysmos, followed by the dawn of the age of magic. From here, introduce all the key players (Leoric, Witterquick, Arzon, etc), give them all their holographic animal totems, then pit them against Darkstorm and his cronies.
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Centurions
Picture the scene: It’s the near future and cyborg scientist (and complete crackpot) Doc Terror threatens the safety of the world. No one can stop him except… the Centurions!
Ace McCloud, Max Ray, and Jake Rockwell strap various weapons onto the exo-suites and kick all kinds of ass. Power Xtreme indeed!
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Dino-Riders
Now here’s a blast from the past, and another oft-overlooked ‘80s IP which Knight could revive – Dino-Riders! Set in the past, the movie could focus on a raging war between the Valorians and Rulons, who utilise dinosaurs in their battle.
This project could be potential box-office gold, because dinosaurs remain popular with audiences. And let’s be honest, we’d all rather watch this one than yet another Jurassic World movie.
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ThunderCats
Onto the ‘80s IP EVERYONE wants to see turned into a movie – and you bet Travis Knight could pull it off. Yep, it’s ThunderCats!
Give us an epic, Superman: The Movie style opening, with the planet Thundera facing imminent destruction. Then let’s follow Lion-O and Co. as they head to Third Earth, set up home, then find themselves locked in an eternal battle with Mumm-Ra.
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Bionic Six
Back to overlooked IPs and it would be amazing to see Knight turn his hand to the Bionic Six. The movie, about the bionic Bennett family, could tap into the current obsession with super hero tales, while still bringing that all-important ‘80s vibe to the screen.
As for the story, bypass the origin and just focus on the Bennett’s never-ending conflict with Dr. Scarab and his goons. Give us plenty of action, lots of spectacle, and top it off with some super heroics.
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Jayce and the Wheeled Warriors
And finally, if none of the above pans out then how about an adaptation of Jayce and the Wheeled Warriors? The Lightning League vs. the Monster Minds!
Detail the rise of the evil Saw Boss; demonstrate Jayce’s determination to defeat his foe; and give us some bad-ass visuals and car chases. Oh, and find a way to slot that awesome theme tune in somewhere.
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Thank you for stopping by It’s A Stampede! to read this post about ‘80s cartoons. For more posts be sure to check out the recommended reads below.
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