Whether you were waking up bright and early on Saturday morning to run into the kitchen and pour yourself a big bowl of Fruity Pebbles or sprinting off the school bus just in time to grab the remote and switch on the TV, many of us loved watching cartoons when we were kids. It became a regular routine to flip on Cartoon Network, Nickelodeon, and Disney Channel to find the best shows.
Cartoons were everything to us. They sparked our imagination, our creativity, and inspired us to find our own adventures. But surprisingly many of us have forgotten the animated series that once captivated us as kids. Many of them were so great we think they need to not only be remembered; they deserve to be made into a real life movie. Here is our list of 15 forgotten cartoons that we believe need movie adaptations. We sure hope these satisfy your inner nostalgia and bring back those warm fuzzy slipper Saturday mornings.
15. Ed, Edd N Eddy
Ed, Edd n Eddy was the American-Canadian comedy animated series created by Danny Antonucci and voiced by Matt Hill, Sam Vincent, and Tony Sampson. The show played on Cartoon Network and ran for a decade from 1999-2009. It revolved around three adolescent boys named Ed, Edd (AKA “Double D”), and Eddy. Eddy was pretty much the leader of the group, although he was clueless about almost everything, just like the other two. He was the schemer, always coming up with ludicrous plans to scam the cul-de-sac kids and help the three make money so they could buy their favorite thing in the world: jawbreakers.
Many of us would love to see this beloved and forgotten cartoon come to the big screen. Anyone who was born in the '90s would be running with their money, and jawbreakers, in hand to the nearest theater. A comedy about three young preteens boys-- one who is dull-witted, one who is an inventor, and one who is devious and a bit of a scammer-- would be a movie that not only '90s kids could rally around, but most teen and young adults as well. A well diverse group of characters and a classic hit would draw in audiencesr sure.
It would take an “Ed-iot” not to realize that this old forgotten cartoon would make an incredible movie adaptation today.
14. Pinky And The Brain
Although this American animated series was short lived by cartoon standards, running from 1995-1998, it is a comedy that will always live on in our hearts. It was the first animated TV series that was presented in Dolby Surround and a show that had Steven Spielberg as the executive producer. The characters first appeared in 1993 as a recurring segment on Animaniacs and eventually got their own show.
Created by Tom Ruegger, Pinky and the Brain was about a genius mouse named The Brain (voiced by Maurice LaMarche) and Pinky, his half-witted sidekick (voiced by Rob Paulsen), who were laboratory mice. In each episode they came up with a plan to try and take over the world, with each episode ending with a catastrophic failure, primarily due to Pinky's less than average intelligence and Brain’s egotism and impossible plans.
We would love to see these odd buddies become a movie adaptation. Perhaps Spielberg himself could be the director himself. He has directed many movies which involve odd or extraterrestrial creatures and man-eating sharks. So why not one involving genetically altered lab mice who try to take over the world?
13. Johnny Bravo
Johnny Bravo was a man with big blond hair, tight black clothes, and iconic sunglasses, who always confident that every woman wanted him. We are confident that Johnny Bravo would be a “strong” candidate to become a real life movie. The series ran on Cartoon Network from 1997-2004 and was created by Van Partible and written by Butch Hartman. Johnny Bravo had an Elvis-like voice and Jeff Bennett, who played the character, sure knew how to pull it off. This forgotten cartoon could be a blockbuster hit if it hit the theaters today.
Johnny Bravo launched the career of cartoonist Seth MacFarlane, who brought us Family Guy and directed the movie Ted. We think he would be the ideal director for this movie as well!
Perhaps Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson, the highest paid actor of 2016, could perform as the real-life Johnny Bravo. He already has the staggering figure and is known as a muscle man. All he would need is a black t-shirt, a pair of shades, and a blondewig. We can already see him shaking those hips and yelling “Woah, momma!”, “Hoohah!”, and “Don’t touch the hair!”
12. Centurions
Today, many kids from the late '80s and early '90s don’t know or don’t remember The Centurions, but it was a show that was out of this world. The Centurions was a science fiction animated television series produced by Larry Huber in 1986. They were a fierce fighting force from the 21st century, equipped with special suits and the best defense team. And they were Earth’s only hope to defeat Dr. Terror, who hoped to conquer the world. Originally there were three Centurions; Max Ray (voiced by Pat Fraley), Ace McCloud (voiced by Neil Ross), and Jake Rockwell (voiced by Vince Edwards).
This would be an epic superhero movie, showing The Centurions teaming up to save the world. There are already a ton of superhero movies that have been made and we know we have the technology and graphics to do so. With the success of The Avengers and the Justice League movie coming soon, we hope this old cartoon gets its own movie adaptation. We have a feeling it would probably be another smash hit.
11. Foster's Home For Imaginary Friends
When we were younger many of us had an imaginary friend. Maybe some of us still do today, but will never admit it. Whatever the case is, Foster's Home For Imaginary Friends made us feel happy to embrace our made-up pals. This show was actually created in the 2000s and ran from 2004-2009 on Cartoon Network. Created by Craig McCraken, this fantasy-comedy adventure tells the tale of a boy and his cherished imaginary friends. They stay together with Madame Foster at a house for imaginary characters that have been outgrown by certain children but are eagerly awaiting to be adopted by someone new.
There are many diverse imaginary friends on the show. Bloo is a blue ghost with a knack for getting into trouble. Wilt is a tall and skinny orange character who is missing one arm, but is always hopeful and optimistic. Eduardo is a monster with horns and pointy teeth who looks scary on the outside, but is actually scared of everything and anything that moves. We would love to see these different individuals come alive with real life actors. With so many different characters, this could be a movie that kids of any age could go see!
We imagine Foster’s Home For Imaginary Friends would be a great film adaptation that would help many viewers to remember their own imaginary friend from the past... or even to create a new one.
10. The Wild Thornberrys
The Wild Thornberrys was an animated adventure and comedy that ran from 1998-2004 on Nickelodeon. The show revolved around an unconventional family who lived in the wilderness and had many extreme and exciting adventures. The main character of the series was a girl named Eliza Thornberry (voiced by Lacey Chabert) who was not an ordinary kid. She traveled the world in an RV with her mom, Marianne; dad, Nigel; crazy foster brother, Donnie; and older sister, Debbie. Eliza also had her own pet monkey named Darwin. The thing that made Eliza so unique and special was her ability to communicate with animals.
This is a show that could be very easy to adapt. Just have the movie take place in Africa since the cartoon takes place in the wild. Tim Curry voiced the character of Donnie back when the show aired. We think it would be an awesome idea if he played Eliza’s father Nigel in the movie.
The Wild Thornberrys would be a film filled with entertainment and adventure. Think Doctor Doolittle mixed in with a little Matilda.
9. The Ren & Stimpy Show
Many of us remember the crazed cartoon CatDog, which told the story of a goofy cat and dog that were joined as one at the abdomen. But many of us forget the other animal duo of Ren & Stimpy, a hyperactive Chihuahua (aren’t they all?) and an idiotic cat. The animated television series was created by John Kricfalusi and aired on Nickelodeon from 1991-1996. The cartoon centered on Ren and Stimpy and their revolting and comedic adventures. Many episodes had disgusting and crazy humor such as hairballs, farts, and spit.
Any kid alive would love to see a movie filled with two animal friends and all of the cool and gross escapades they go on. What youngster doesn’t love to talk about boogers, farts, and vomit? This could be a film that targets a younger audience but that any family could go see. With today's technology it would be fairly easy to create a talking Chihuahua and dimwit cat that look similar to Ren and Stimpy.
8. Mighty Heroes
Although this show only had one season which ran from 1966-1967, we still think it should be added to the list. This forgotten cartoon was short-lived, but still mighty. The Mighty Heroes was a cartoon created by Ralph Bakshi that debuted on CBS. The show was about a group of accident-prone superheroes who tried to fight off the villains of the city and found themselves more often than not in silly situations. There were five superheroes on the team and all of them could fly. The group included Strong Man, Rope Man, Tornado Man, Cuckoo Man, and Diaper Man.
This could be a live-action movie today, but instead of being an action drama, it could be an action comedy. Although he does not have red hair and is not a baby, we think Kevin Hart would make a hilarious Diaper Man since he kind of looks like a kid himself, is short enough, and is one of the best comedians today.
The Mighty Heroes is a cartoon that has the potential to be a mighty live-action adaptation.
7. The Angry Beavers
The Angry Beavers TV series ran from 1997-2001 was created by Mitch Schauer and played on the Nickelodeon channel. The show revolved around two wacky brother beavers named Daggett Doofus “Dag” Beaver (voiced by Rich Horvitz) and Norbert Foster “Norb” Beaver (voiced by Nick Bakay). The brothers left their home to become eligible bachelors in the forest. Their many adventures in the woods often revealed an angry side of the two, hence the name The Angry Beavers.
Now that they were living without their mom they could do whatever they wanted, from staying up late to eating junk food. But living on your own, especially with a sibling, can have its ups and downs. If this movie was brought to real life many young adults could relate to Dag and Norb and what it's like growing up and venturing off on your on. Will Ferrell and John C. Reilly did a hilarious job in the 2008 movie Step Brothers. We think they would be an awesome team and the best people to play Dag and Norb.
And who wouldn’t love to see a couple of beavers come to life? It's been done with rodents in Alvin and the Chipmunks, so why not with beavers?
6. Danny Phantom
Many of us forgot about the teenage boy named Danny Phantom, whose hair changed white, eyes glowed green, walked through walls, and could fly.
Danny Phantom was an American animated series that was created by Butch Hartman and ran on Nickelodeon from 2004-2007. The series centers on a teenager named Danny Phantom (voiced by David Kaufman), a high school student who accidentally blows up his parents laboratory, which earn him ghost-like superpowers and enables him to try to save the world. The only people who know about his secret are his sister, Jazz, and his best friends, Samantha and Tucker.
We think Dylan Minnette, who has starred in Goosebumps and Don’t Breathe, or Logan Lerman, who has starred in Percy Jackson and The Perks of Being a Wallflower, would make the perfect Danny Phantom. They both have the dark hair that Danny has when he isn’t fighting off ghosts and creatures. They also look like they could both pull off being a teenager (Dylan Minnette is 19) and have been in adventure and fantasy films. Danny Phantom would be a great superhero movie that many of us would fly to the theaters to see.
5. Invader Zim
Here we have another short lived animated series but a critically acclaimed one at that. Invader Zim won not only and Annie Award but also an Emmy. One of the creepier shows from the early 2000s, which ran from 2001-2004, the series was created by Jhonen Vasquez who pitched the idea to Nickelodeon who wanted a series for their older demographic. The series is about an alien named Zim (voiced by Richard Steven Horvitz) who is from planet Irk and is sent to infiltrate Earth and make sure of the planet’s downfall. He manages to fit in at a school as a human. However, one boy named Dib (voiced by Andy Berman) is able to see through his disguise and realizes Zim is an alien, but no one believes him.
Today this would be an eerie, insane, and comedic movie. It could be released during October and around Halloween to add a bit more scare to the feel of it. The show at times was disturbing and strange and it could be a great horror-comedy flick. We already have many alien movies out there, such as Independence Day, Alien, Signs, E.T., and so on. This should be another one to add to the list.
4. American Dragon: Jake Long
American Dragon: Jake Long tells the story of a Chinese-American teen named Jake Long (voiced by Dante Basco) who is given the ability to transform into a dragon and fight off all the mystical creatures that live in the real world. This cartoon was created by Jeff Goode and produced by Walt Disney Television Animation and ran on the Disney Channel from 2005-2007.
Now who wouldn’t love to see a teenager become a real life dragon, fight off creatures, and kick some serious ass? There are many live-action movies about dragons but none that deal with a superhero kid's reality. Anyone who is a fan of superheroes, dungeons and dragons, and this forgotten Disney Channel cartoon would love to see this movie come alive to real life.
We are warming up to the idea and hope filmmakers out there will make this forgotten cartoon into a live-action movie sometime soon.
3. Codename: Kids Next Door
Created by Tom Warburton, Codename: Kids Next Door ran from 2002-2008 on Cartoon Network. The series revolves around five ten-year old friends, known as the Kids Next Door, who operate from their treehouse headquarters. They try to fight adults and defy their orders. Using their codenames (Numbuh 1, Numbuh 2, Numbuh 3, Numbuh 4, and Numbuh 5), they come up with elaborate plans and make marvelous creations by using anything they can get their hands on.
A film with five best friends trying to get out of homework, chores, the dentist, and much more would be great for young kids. If they tried doing bigger operations or ones that were more serious, the film could target a bigger audience. Perhaps even saving someone’s life, stopping a bank heist, or taking down corrupt villains.
Every episode has an operation in the title, showing what mission the Kids Next Door are going to take on. We think we need to come up with an operation of our own to get this cartoon its own real-life movie.
2. The Grim Adventures Of Billy & Mandy
It is not every day we see an animated series that is based on the character the Grim Reaper. Perhaps one of the most bizarre storylines in cartoon history, The Grim Adventures Of Billy & Mandy is about two children named Billy (voiced by Richard Steven Horvitz) and Mandy (voiced by Grey Griffin) who win a limbo contest against the Grim Reaper. Since the Grim Reaper loses he has to be their friend and is pretty much enslaved and tormented by the two. These three characters go on crazy and thrilling adventures in this animated comedy. The show ran from 2001-2007 on Cartoon Network and was created by Maxwell Atoms.
A cartoon like this could be easily adapted into a movie nowadays. All we would need is two young kids and an actor to dress up and play the Grim Reaper. This could be a dark satire that targets an older demographic. In the cartoon, they often travel to the underworld and run into characters such as Dracula and the Boogeyman. Also, many of the episodes end with characters getting killed or exiled. This could be a James Franco and Seth Rogen movie, just like This Is The End, where the most disturbing but hilarious events occur and many people die in a comedic light. Perhaps the two could star in or direct the film.
1. Courage The Cowardly Dog
One of the spookiest shows on Cartoon Network, Courage The Cowardly Dog was a show filled with strange storylines and even stranger villains.
The show centers around a pink and frightened dog named Courage (voiced by Marty Grabstein) who lives on a farm in the middle of nowhere with his owners Eustace and Muriel. Throughout the series Courage must summon up courage of his own to save his family from all kinds of danger and paranormal events and creatures. This horror comedy television series was created by John R. Dilworth and played on Cartoon Network from 1999-2002.
Courage, who was always petrified, would say, “Oooh, I’m not going to like this…” But we know a movie adaptation of this cartoon would be something we would absolutely love. The TV show American Horror Story always has new and different uncanny plots and characters, and this is very similar to Courage the Cowardly Dog. If it was made into a real-life movie today we think it should be similar to that show. Although it would still have humor thrown in, we definitely think the cartoon was an unnerving one, to say the least, and that same shock and horror should be present in the movie adaptation.
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Have a cartoon that you think needs a movie adaptation? Let us know in the comments!