Toon Zone Talkback - 'American Gladiators' Animated Series in the Works

[Tommy Lawson]

There was an interesting piece of information in a TVWeek article dated January 13, 2008, about plans for expanding the "American Gladiators" brand beyond that of the current NBC prime-time show. The article mentions plans for an animated show of "American Gladiators" but gives no details, so we're left to speculate as to what type of show it could possibly be.

My guess - a superhero sports show like the "Mighty Ducks" from over a decade ago, although without hockey and ducks of course. I believe a show of that type would be a good fit for the Jetix lineup over on Toon Disney, but it's way too early to say if this idea will ever make it to TV.

 

[tb4000]

I could have seen this back in the 90s as a Saturday morning cartoon show, as they created cartoons for every damn property in existence. Could be interesting I guess.

 

[DrTooth]

There was an interesting piece of information in a TVWeek article dated January 13, 2008, about plans for expanding the "American Gladiators" brand beyond that of the current NBC prime-time show. The article mentions plans for an animated show of "American Gladiators" but gives no details, so we're left to speculate as to what type of show it could possibly be.

Yes, but Dic won't make it, and they're the only animation studio that would touch something like this. I agree with the Scroogie Avatar dude. This could have flew in the 90's. But now, when cartoons don't have a real place to be anymore... nothing. no syndication, It wouldn't fit on NBC's Qubo, cable won't do it. There's no place to put it.

Hopefully this will fail like the "Who Wants to be a Millionaire" cartoon that thankfully never saw the light of day.

 

[Cactusjack1999]

Didn't they do this years ago with Michael Jordan, Bo Jackson, and Wayne Gretzky?

 

[HomeMoviesFan]

I'm sorry. Um, have I just stepped into the late 80s or something?...

 

[Anyone00]

Didn't they do this years ago with Michael Jordan, Bo Jackson, and Wayne Gretzky?

Yes.

I'm filing this new series under "What are they thinking?".

 

[DrTooth]

Didn't they do this years ago with Michael Jordan, Bo Jackson, and Wayne Gretzky?

Actually, the did that sort of show earlier than that.

I would say the Hulkster would probably do his own voice if he's in the series.

 

[MDawg]

Actually, the did that sort of show earlier than that.

I would say the Hulkster would probably do his own voice if he's in the series.

Even earlier.

 

[BROKEN BOY BLUE]

The show will revolve around the Gladiators after they are done with the show. They will go out and fight crime and supervillains. "Gladiator powers ACTIVATE!"

 

[Jave]

The show will revolve around the Gladiators after they are done with the show. They will go out and fight crime and supervillains. "Gladiator powers ACTIVATE!"

And in their spare time, they'll perform in a band.

 

[BROKEN BOY BLUE]

And in their spare time, they'll perform in a band.

Brilliant!

 

[macattack]

Please no. The live-action version is a travesty to all forms of television already.

On the plus side, I love the witty up-yours responses on this thread.

 

[Beat]

It will be banished to the same abyss Spawn and Castlevania are in right now, so no worries.

 

[Dark Fact]

What exactly would they do for an animated version of Gladiators that won't turn into total cheese? It feels like we're starting to slip back into the 80's with these kinds of shows again!

Hopefully this will fail like the "Who Wants to be a Millionaire" cartoon that thankfully never saw the light of day.

Say WHAT???

 

[Tommy Lawson]

What exactly would they do for an animated version of Gladiators that won't turn into total cheese? It feels like we're starting to slip back into the 80's with these kinds of shows again!

Let's see in 2007 we got Transformers and Alvin and the Chipmunks as movies based on 80s animated shows- Nintendo is back on top of the video game world, just as it was in the 1980s, and of course, American Gladiators is back on the air now. You see, if you wait about a quarter-century, history does tend to repeat itself.

 

[DrTooth]

Say WHAT???

Read it in the paper in 2001. Luckily it failed. It's a low, even for DIC.

Somehow, I'm shocked DIC isn't going to be involved in this in any way, shape or form.

 

[Jeff Harris]

It's funny you all keep mentioning DiC in this conversation.

Back when Gladiators was fairly new and popular in the public eye, Samuel Goldwyn Television (the original producer of American Gladiators whose rights became absorbed by MGM Television) and DiC announced plans to create an American Gladiators animated series for CBS that would have aired as part of their Saturday morning lineup along with Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles and Garfield and Friends. However, the project was snagged in the midst of the adaption of the Children's Television Act, which pretty much killed Saturday mornings, the fact that American Gladiators was waning just as the Monday Night Wars was just beginning, and CBS was in the midst of getting purchased by Westinghouse (this was before they got bought by Viacom).

That also killed the Baywatch animated series they were planning too.

Yes, they almost made a Baywatch animated series.

Yeah, there's no place in this country for the American Gladiators series to air. Which means that NBC Universal should really push Corus and DiC to launch KidsCo stateside, especially since NBC Universal is now an owner in that endeavor.

What exactly would they do for an animated version of Gladiators that won't turn into total cheese? It feels like we're starting to slip back into the 80's with these kinds of shows again!

You say that like it's a bad thing.

But we're almost there in pop culture anyway.

Alvin and the Chipmunks was 20th Century Fox's second biggest movie of 2007, just barely behind The Simpsons Movie. Transformers was one of the biggest movies of the year. Indiana Jones returns to the movie screens this year. A lot of rap today is silly dance-inspired songs (Soldja Boy, Bubble Gum, Chicken Noodle Soup?!?). Nintendo has the most popular game console in the country. Knight Rider returns in a matter of weeks to television. And American Gladiators is NBC's biggest television property now, much to the chagrin of Hair Trump.

Strange, yet familiar times indeed.

 

[macattack]

The worst part of it all is that I despise the 80's in every shape and form. That's just me, but it aggravates my already-high annoyance level.

 

[Beat]

You say that like it's a bad thing.

But we're almost there in pop culture anyway.

Alvin and the Chipmunks was 20th Century Fox's second biggest movie of 2007, just barely behind The Simpsons Movie. Transformers was one of the biggest movies of the year. Indiana Jones returns to the movie screens this year. A lot of rap today is silly dance-inspired songs (Soldja Boy, Bubble Gum, Chicken Noodle Soup?!?). Nintendo has the most popular game console in the country. Knight Rider returns in a matter of weeks to television. And American Gladiators is NBC's biggest television property now, much to the chagrin of Hair Trump.

Strange, yet familiar times indeed.

Oh God it's worse than I thought. Soon there's going to be lots of big hair, bright colors, and the inevitable Jem remake. And of course, TV will be flooded with cheap celebrity cash-in cartoons, the kind that were supposed to have died off years ago. It only took 30 years for culture to repeat itself. I think that's a record.

(Funny how the 80's, in countless sci-fi movies and OVA's, the future always resembled the 80's. They were right...)

Yeah, there's no place in this country for the American Gladiators series to air. Which means that NBC Universal should really push Corus and DiC to launch KidsCo stateside, especially since NBC Universal is now an owner in that endeavor.

Why on Earth would you support any endeavor to get DiC a major television outlet? If they don't bring this thing stateside, the American Gladiators cartoon will never see the light of day, and that might save what little dignity most American animation studios have left. (Seriously, it seems whenever someone mentions a crude American cartoon cliche, DiC is somehow responsible for its origin or propagation)

 

[Goldstar!]

If some studio announced plans for a Jem revival animated series or a live action movie, I wouldn't be in the least bit surprised at this stage.