10 Forgotten Cartoons Based On Iconic Movies

The animation industry has had a rough run over recent years. Far past its golden era, it’s no secret that Western cartoons have resorted to a variety of gimmicks to try and garner viewership. With franchising having some of the best selling potential of all (just look at the entirety of the Marvel Cinematic Universe), animation has turned to film time and again to help bring brand recognition to Saturday morning lineups.

Some of these animated movie adaptations have gone on to accrue adoration and cult fame within their own right, whereas others were seen for the cash grabs that they were and faded into obscurity. In either case, these adaptations ironically never live long in people’s imaginations, leaving many to be forgotten through time.

10 Napoleon Dynamite

Fox has become infamous for throwing anything at the wall to create its programming, particularly when it comes to animation. In an effort to match The Simpsons or Family Guy‘s persistent popularity, they’ve tried all manner of gimmicks to build their own cartoon line, including turning to iconic, independent movies.

One of Fox’s strangest cartoons to date has to be its adaption of the Middle-American comedy Napoleon Dynamite. While the network did a good job at getting some of the original cast to offer voice work, it didn’t utilize the original film’s grounded, deadpan humor, instead opting for absurd adventures and sight gags more appropriate for a Seth MacFarlane project.

9 The Real Ghostbusters

Quickly capitalizing on the rising fame for Ghostbusters, The Real Ghostbusters helped make the original even more ’80s by making it a Saturday morning cartoon. The series centered around the same cast as they used their paranormal expertise to battle ghosts around New York.

Surprisingly, the series made Slimer a recurring character/mascot that quickly took over the show itself. Retitled as Slimer! and the Real Ghostbusters, new episodes were made following Slimer’s antics and his own line of friends and enemies. And, after this series ended, it would spawn an edgy, ’90s adaptation called Extreme Ghostbusters.

8 Back To The Future: The Animated Series

Shortly following Back to the Future III – but long before Rick and Morty‘s sci-fi antics – Back to the Future: The Animated Series was the premiere (albeit short-lived) mad science adventure in animation.

While Marty had plenty of memorable moments in the original films, Doc Brown and his family were often the main focus of this series, and many of his new experiments (on top of new time travel adventures) drove most of the show. The series even doubled as an educational program, as Bill Nye often collaborated with Dr. Emmett Brown to teach kids about the wonders of science (sadly without the 1950’s hijinks).

7 Bill & Ted’s Excellent Adventures

Bill & Ted’s Excellent Adventures came in around the peak of Bill and Ted‘s popularity, and it even premiered well before the franchise got its second movie. The animated series focused on the iconic duo as they continued their quest to cultivate their music and rock band, using time travel and their dimwitted charms to protect a distant but utopian future.

The original season was able to feature the original cast for voice work; but when the series was picked up by Fox, they were replaced to help make way for an accompanying, live-action show. With the adaptation never being popular in the first place, the changes didn’t help, and Bill & Ted’s Excellent Adventures ended after 2 seasons.

6 Police Academy: The Animated Series

The Police Academy movies were already increasing in absurdity and wackiness by the time Police Academy: The Animated Series pulled around. When it did, it fit right into the comedy franchise, despite featuring anthropomorphic dogs and a Marvel-esque supervillain named Kingpin.

The series was business as usual, as Carey Mahoney continued to lead the cadets against Captain Harris and Sergeant Proctor. It’s just that his antics were coupled against a sinister villain whose dastardly, Saturday morning plots kept the cadets on their toes.

5 Jumanji: The Animated Series

While it didn’t feature Robin Williams, Jumanji: The Animated Series still managed to be eccentric animated fun within its own right. The series follows the classic adventure between Judy and Peter Shepherd; however, instead of trying to get rid of Jumanji’s chaos within their own home, they often get sucked into the game due to its malevolent will.

While inside, they beat the game’s various puzzles while also trying to help the trapped Alan Parrish, whose unique dilemma is a driving force for much of the series’ plot, in addition to the unfortunate history of other players of the game.

4 Beetlejuice

While few performances could ever live-up to Michael Keaton’s iconic role, Beetlejuice‘s animated series did a pretty good job, using the magic of animation to replicate all of the macabre absurdity in grander adventures. Though he’s a villain in the original film, Betelgeuse is the titular mascot character here, and he is best friends with Lydia Deetz.

The series often sees the two go on adventures between the living world and the Netherworld, and it additionally showcases Betelgeuse’s various exploits trying to scam people, particularly Lydia’s easy-mark parents. Beetlejuice was a dark and fantastical cartoon from an era when animation tried to value Halloween all year-round, and while series such as Invader Zim or Courage the Cowardly Dog are more prevalent now, this cartoon still has charms that can entertain today.

3 Men In Black: The Series

Men in Black: The Series came to television during a time when animation was starting to lose its action-adventure series. While the series only lasted four seasons and is far from the most prominent part of the Men in Black franchise, many diehard fans of Kids WB still fondly remember the sci-fi adventure today (though they certainly don’t want the Kids’ WB series rebooted).

Men in Black: The Series doesn’t inherently follow the original timeline of the films (though it does draw references), but it did use its premise beautifully to create interesting monster-of-the-week storylines and spy intrigue between its recurring characters.

2 Clerks: The Animated Series

The larger, cinematic connections of Jay and Silent Bob, dubbed the “View Askewniverse,” encompasses a variety increasingly strange adventures that build from the original, quiet film. Therefore, Clerks: The Animated Series was the logical follow-up to Kevin Smith’s ambitions during the early-2000’s that has given his characters likely the best medium possible to explore stranger worlds and ideas.

These subjects included competing against a dystopian, corporate conglomerate and discovering a The Matrix-esque truth about society. Sadly, the series only produced six episodes, with only two having ever aired on television during its initial release.

1 Rambo: The Force Of Freedom

Debuting during an era where cartoons were constantly under duress for cartoon violence, Rambo: The Force of Freedom had to put up with a lot just to make it on air. It was strange enough to make an animated version of a troubled, Vietnam veteran wreaking vengeance on his enemies, when G.I. Joe, a series still controversial for its age, was showing kids tamer stuff.

Rambo: The Force of Freedom toned down its violence and gore considerably to make it to broadcast, and it additionally avoided any references to real-world countries, opting to create fictional wars that paralleled real ones. While the R-rated war movie turned children’s cartoon understandably never had a second season, it still lasted 65 episodes and had a five-episode mini-series.