Internet Reacts to ‘ThunderCats Roar’ on Cartoon Network

Cartoon Network just announced a brand new ThunderCats animated series called ThunderCats Roar, and the Internet isn’t shy about giving their opinions on it.

The new series boasts an art style that has more in common with something like The Amazing World of Gumball than the original series longtime fans grew up with, and the tone is much more self-aware and comedic than that previous entry. Some are responding to that in positive ways and others are a bit negative about the whole thing, and others are just happy that 2019 will see the introduction of a new ThunderCats series.

The team behind the new show thinks that the more outlandish aspects of ThunderCats lend themselves to something with a more irreverent and upbeat tone, and we won’t really know how it all comes together until it airs. In the meantime, though you can check out the first footage here.

ThunderCats Roar stars Max Mittelman (Justice League Action) as Lion-O and Wilykat, Erica Lindbeck (DC Super Hero Girls) as Cheetara and Wilykit, Patrick Seitz (Justice League Action) as Tygra and Mumm-Ra, and Chris Jai Alex (Star Wars: Battlefront II) as Panthro.

You can find the official description of the new series below:

“Staying true to the premise of the original series, Lion-O and the ThunderCats — Tygra, Panthro, Cheetara, Wilykat, and Wilykit — barely escape the sudden destruction of their home world, Thundera, only to crash land on the mysterious and exotic planet of Third Earth. Lion-O, the newly appointed Lord of the ThunderCats, attempts to lead the team as they make this planet their new home. A bizarre host of creatures and villains stand in their way, including the evil Mumm-Ra, Third Earth’s wicked ruler who will let nothing, including the ThunderCats, stop his tyrannical reign over the planet.”

Hit the next slide to see some of the Internet’s best reactions to the new-and-improved ThunderCats!

@ThievinlMP

The visual style is a point of contention for some, thinking it looks more like a parody of ThunderCats than an officially licensed project.

“This isn’t a work of parody, this is a Thundercats series that is airing on Cartoon Network in 2019”

@LakelPruitt

Other fans…well, they didn’t take the announcement as nonchalantly as others and especially don’t like that the series is more of a comedy than a traditional action-focused adventure series.

“*FLIPS TABLE*

WTF IS THIS SHIT?!?!?! OOhhhhh, HEEEELLLLLLL NAW. Y’all ain’t gon do my ThunderCats like this. Y’all ain’t gon ruin my childhood like this. DAMMIT NOT EVERYTHING NEEDS TO BE A COMEDY.”

@JLBarrow

Not going to lie, we thought the animation style had some similarities to Steven Universe too, though with more Gumball mixed in. Still, a good point is made about Clarence.

“They got Thundercats looking like Steven Universe was locked in a Grundle Fly pod with Clarence and I am sad.”

@JustPlainTweets

Others are quite positive about the new look ThunderCats, and are bracing for the unfortunate incoming negativity regarding the new style.

“This looks fun. Also you know some people are going to get pissy and suddenly sanctimonious about this IP”

She also makes a good point about some of that negativity being misplaced, as there was a more serious in tone animated series in the past, but it failed to connect for some reason.

Like I dunno what to tell you … they did a super serious reboot a few years ago and it didn’t have a huge audience!

@Brentosaur

Some fans are more practical about it, opting to enjoy the new ThunderCats project for what it is rather than not having any new ThunderCats at all.

“Speaking as a lifelong ThunderCats fan… I’ll take what I can get cause some ThunderCats is better than no ThunderCats.”

@NateMing

In fact, many longtime fans are happy to see ThunderCats Roar having fun with the IP and not taking itself so seriously.

“I don’t talk about it too much here, but ThunderCats has and always will be My Jam™

so I’m happy to see it coming back, and I’m even happier to see it Not Being Taken Incredibly Seriously”

@chrismcfeely

Some are fine with the various parts of this series (animated, stylized, comedy), but are a bit baffled as to why ThunderCats was picked as the IP to launch it around.

“pppfffftttttt

who is this even FOR

a) trying to revive ThunderCats again, I mean, jesus christ

b) as an Adventure Time/SU 11 minute lolwhimsy action dramadey?

c) profit???

I mean, still a better idea than the 2011 series. Just so… BIZARRE. What was the thought process? “Teen Titans Go but with ThunderCats”? WHY ThunderCats? Who CARES?

I am super-here for how salty it’s gonna make stuck-in-the-past nerdbros, I’ll tell you that much, but what a baffling creation. It’s like someone said “Teen Titans Go pissed off a lot of Teen Titans fans, who else can we piss off that statistically dont matter in the slightest?””

@upstarchamback

If you don’t remember the 2011 series, just know there are plenty of ThunderCats fans who do, and they’re a little miffed that this very different version is being launched as opposed to just bringing back the 2011 version.

“Nope, the biggest of nopes, you cancel the near perfect 2011 Thundercats, 7 years go by and you bring it back as this half baked wannabe Teen Titans Go?”

@_ChristopherM

We’re not the only ones that see the Steven Universe similarities, and some fans are hopeful that this will be a nice shot in the arm for the ThunderCats license.

“Thundercats but for the Steven Universe crowd, I mean this could be the shot in the arm it needs to finally get a movie going. Looks kinda rad, it was always a fantasy show anyways, not G.I. JOE.”

@MEGASONGER

For other fans, it’s more about the similarity in art style to other hit shows, like Steven Universe and Gumball for instance.

“like i dont give a shit about thundercats, i never have, but seeing another show with an art style so similar to everything else is just hmmmm. 

although i think a little bit of the uhh bad reaction to it is because thundercats had a show w/ a detailed action art style years ago

that show wasnt good i hear but in conjunction w/ things like teen titans go, which so many adults loathe, + how it went from a more detailed action-oriented art-style to TTG, it fuels the comparisons as a trend”