5 Best '80s Cartoons That Need Live-Action Movies After Masters Of The Universe

Considering how inconsistent efforts have been in bringing Saturday morning cartoons to life, leave it to the director of one of the few good ones to deliver another hit surrounding the heroes of yesteryear. "Bumblebee" director Travis Knight will this week drop audiences in Eternia with "Masters of the Universe," and there's not only the pressure of paying respect to a toyline that folks hold so dear, but there's also the matter of lifting the curse left behind by the first live-action adaptation that we got back in 1987. Thankfully, it seems Knight has certainly accomplished such a feat, and by doing so, he's raised the bar yet again in adapting properties that were originally best served with brightly colored breakfast cereal. Now we need to see more of them.

Given the impressive standard set by "Masters of the Universe," studios should be clamoring to bring other classic cartoons from the 1980s to life, and we know just which ones deserve a jolt. After holding up in Castle Grayskull and scouring our brainboxes to remember which other shows from back in the day are worth the filmic treatment, we've gathered a list of potential projects that also deserve a shot on the big screen. 

In the lead-up to the release of "Masters of the Universe," Travis Knight has already expressed interest in exploring the universe further, including Adam's long-lost sister, Adora, aka She-Ra: Princess of Power, to make an appearance. Facing off against demon lord Hordak and having a winged unicorn in place of He-Man's Battle Cat, it's still the same colorful world that we've been introduced to here.

"For me, She-Ra has always been a big part of the 'Masters' world and a big part of Adam's story," the director explained to SFX (via GamesRadar). "In the fullness of time, if we're lucky to tell more stories in this universe, She-Ra will play a huge part."

Making her debut in 1985, She-Ra got her own show and then another in 2018. Given that we've got Superman's cousin, "Supergirl," coming this year, there's no reason that He-Man's counterpart, She-Ra, couldn't get the same level of attention. All that we'd need to wait on is which new star would don the title of She-Ra and give He-Man a run for his money.

Christopher Nolan might be taking us on "The Odyssey" this year, but there's a cult classic cartoon that is just itching to get the big screen treatment, and it pulls some of its core story points from Homer's legendary tale. "Ulysses 31" was a French-Japanese animated series from 1981 that spanned only 26 episodes. Set in the 31st century, Ulysses (the Latin name for Odysseus) is a heroic leader who has been cursed by the gods for saving children enslaved by a spacefaring Cyclops. As punishment, Zeus sends the crew of his entire ship into a coma that can only end when Ulysses reaches Hades and lifts the curse.

Perhaps one of the most beautiful entries on this list, "Ulysses 31," was an often haunting show that featured Ulysses fighting legendary Greek monsters and forces with a space-age spin. The universe and scope within this short-lived series is the kind of thing that would look great on screen, as well as some massive god-like beings to slow our hero down. With the right script, a director like Zack Snyder would be perfect to handle this space opera that shamelessly pulls from other stories and would relocate the director's vision from the doomed "Rebel Moon" into a much greater atmosphere. The theme tune for the show is also an absolute banger.

One show that should've gained the same level of attention as "Masters of the Universe" was a hero from a different time and space, who frankly had a power set so cool it'd put He-Man to shame. "BraveStarr" was a Native American marshal who sought out justice in the 23rd century on the desert planet of New Texas. Blessed with abilities that empowered him with the Eyes of the Hawk, the Ears of the Wolf, the Strength of the Bear, and the Speed of the Puma, Marshall BraveStarr and his loyal chief deputy, Thirty/Thirty (who is a blunderbuss-wielding warrior horse), brought justice to the land every week.

Just like He-Man had Skeletor, BraveStarr has regular run-ins with the notorious outlaw Tex Hex, an undead sorcerer and prospector whose greed led to his death before he was brought back by dark forces. Besides having similar characters to "Masters of the Universe," "BraveStarr" dealt with serious issues, varying from death to drug abuse. While we can't imagine a film tackling the same topics, "BraveStarr" could replicate epic space-aged westerns like "The Mandalorian & Grogu." Also, it'd be a great change for the action-packed world of "BraveStarr" to present a mainstream story that explores an underrepresented culture at the forefront of the future.

Now stick with us on this for a minute. Firstly, there's no denying that the "Ghostbusters" franchise is in something of a cinematic struggle, with the last installment, "Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire," failing to deliver the goods for fans or snag decent box-office returns in its ghost trap. The firehouse needs a shake-up, and what better way to do so than to return to one of its most successful parts of the franchise, "The Real Ghostbusters."

Created in 1986 following the release of the first film, "The Real Ghostbusters" ran for 6 seasons and 150 episodes, featuring our favorite paranormal investigators fighting a variety of ghostly apparitions and evil entities around the world. The differences from the film, besides none of the Ghostbusters looking like their live-action counterparts, also included Slimer being part of the team as something of a mascot. Nevertheless, its lengthy run on television suggests that an animated outing for the Ghostbusters might be a viable option in the future. Like it or not, the Ghostbusters don't have the clout they once did, as is clearly shown by the franchise's struggles, so perhaps the best thing to do is simply get "real."

There's no doubt that Disney's regular revisits to its treasure trove of classics have proved a success, but why don't they mix it up and look to their classic morning cartoons that could do with an upgrade? In 1985, the Mouse House introduced "Adventures of the Gummi Bears" and its titular stars, who bounced here, there, and everywhere through the kingdom of Dunwyn. The show was a benchmark in television animation, forcing competitors to up their game against a series that, at times, felt like a high-quality Disney movie stretched across six seasons.

Given Disney's obsession with turning animated movies into live-action ones, there's no better team of lovable characters to get the same treatment than "Gummi Bears." Give the whole gang a new batch of familiar voices, and throw some A-listers into the roles of the human allies they often fight alongside, and you've got yourself a winner. Also, if you're feeling really bold in bringing the bears back in action, get Benedict Cumberbatch in the role of the mustache-twirling villain of the show, Duke Igthorn, to cause some trouble. These heroes might run on Gummiberry Juice, but an extra bit of star power wouldn't go amiss, either.