‘ThunderCats' Movie Isn't Quite Dead, Director Confirms

Warner Bros.' live-action ThunderCats movie is still alive, but fans shouldn't expect to see it in theaters anytime soon. Director Adam Wingard recently gave Polygon an update while promoting his new action movie, Onslaught. Wingard confirmed that he and co-writer Simon Barrett completed a new draft of the ThunderCats script at the beginning of 2026. The project was then put on hold while the filmmakers focused on Onslaught. 'It's not dead. It lives,' Wingard told Polygon. He also admitted that ThunderCats isn't the top project on his schedule right now. That means the movie remains in development, but there's still no release date, cast, trailer, or production start to announce. That news may frustrate fans, but it's better than another cancellation. Warner Bros. and Wingard announced the project in 2021, promising a live-action and CGI hybrid based on the classic 1980s cartoon. The series followed Lion-O and the ThunderCats after they escaped the destruction of their home world, Thundera. Wingard has described ThunderCats as a dream project. He previously said he wanted to create a science-fiction spectacle that could honor the cartoon's look while giving the characters a new visual style. That approach could work, but it also raises the bar for a franchise that has already spent more than five years in development. Wingard's current priority is Onslaught, an action horror movie written with Barrett and released by A24 on September 4, 2026. The film stars Adria Arjona and follows a woman fighting to protect her family after a dangerous threat escapes a military facility. The long wait has given fans plenty of time to imagine what a new ThunderCats movie should be. It also gives them plenty of time to become harder to impress. Wingard now has to deliver more than familiar characters and expensive effects. He has to prove that the project deserves the patience it has demanded. For now, the update is simple. ThunderCats has a recent script draft, but it remains paused while Wingard handles other work. The movie may still become the bold science-fiction adventure he has promised, though fans will need to wait longer before they know whether the film can live up to its reputation. ***