Cartoons to live-action adaptations: from ‘Masters of the Universe’ to Netflix’s upcoming ‘Scooby-Doo: Origins’

The 2027 Netflix series Scooby-Doo: Origins takes fans back to where it all began. Tracing the origins of the iconic Mystery Inc team, the upcoming live-action adaptation follows Shaggy Rogers (Tanner Hagen) and his friend Daphne Blake (Mckenna Grace) as they join forces with neighbourhood kid Velma Dinkley (Abby Ryder Fortson) and newcomer Fred Jones (Maxwell Jenkins) to solve a supernatural murder case at summer camp—with the help of a lost Great Dane puppy who may be the only witness to the crime.

Based on the popular Hanna-Barbera cartoons, this is not the franchise’s first brush with live action. Most famously, the 2002 film Scooby-Doo brought the IP to the big screen with Sarah Michelle Gellar, Freddie Prinze Jr, Linda Cardellini, Matthew Lillard and a CGI Scooby. Two years later, the film spawned a sequel, Scooby-Doo 2: Monsters Unleashed. The Netflix origin story aims to introduce the Scooby Gang to a new generation while preserving the classic whodunnit formula that has kept the animated series a childhood staple: eerie cases, mistaken supernatural sightings and a reluctant but ultimately loyal team dynamic.

The 2007 Transformers film, directed by Michael Bay, marked a major turning point in the adaptation of animated properties, transforming a 1980s toy line and cartoon series into a high-octane global blockbuster. Shia LaBeouf stars as Sam Witwicky, an ordinary teenager drawn into an intergalactic war between Autobots and Decepticons, led by Optimus Prime and Megatron.

The film is best known for its groundbreaking CGI, particularly the seamless transformation sequences that brought the robots to life with unprecedented realism. Megan Fox also became a breakout star as Mikaela Banes, while Josh Duhamel and Tyrese Gibson played soldiers caught up in the conflict between the rival Transformers factions.

While critics often noted the thin human storyline, the film’s spectacle-driven approach proved commercially unstoppable, spawning a long-running franchise that reshaped summer blockbusters. Its emphasis on large-scale destruction, visual effects innovation and brand recognition set the template for many adaptations that followed.

The Casper film adaptation reimagines the classic 1950s to 1960s “friendly ghost” character in a live-action setting, blending family comedy with then-cutting-edge CGI. Christina Ricci stars as Kat Harvey, a teenage girl who moves into a haunted mansion alongside her father Dr James Harvey, played by Bill Pullman.

One of the film’s most notable achievements is Casper himself—among the earliest fully CGI lead characters designed to interact convincingly with live actors. Voice actor Malachi Pearson brings warmth and innocence to the role, helping balance the supernatural premise with genuine emotional stakes.

The film has also left a lasting cultural footprint, particularly through an unexpected romantic development. Devon Sawa’s brief appearance as the human version of Casper became a ’90s movie moment and established him as a teen heartthrob for a generation of viewers. His line, “Can I keep you?”, delivered to Kat during the Halloween dance sequence, remains one of the film’s most quoted and is still referenced in discussions of nostalgic film romances.

Released in 1994, The Flintstones brought another Hanna-Barbera cartoon classic to life. The beloved prehistoric family made it to the big screen in a live-action adaptation starring John Goodman as Fred Flintstone and Elizabeth Perkins as his long-suffering wife Wilma, alongside Rick Moranis and Rosie O’Donnell as Barney and Betty Rubble, their next-door neighbours and closest friends.

The film faithfully recreated the colourful world of Bedrock through elaborate practical sets, detailed costumes and animatronic creatures, capturing much of the visual charm that made the original series so beloved. The story follows Fred as he rises through the ranks at Slate & Co, only to become entangled in a corporate conspiracy that threatens both his career and his friendships.

Produced with a substantial budget, the film was one of the most ambitious cartoon adaptations of its time and featured extensive set construction to bring the Stone Age suburbia of Bedrock to life. Although critics were divided on its humour and story, audiences responded positively, helping it become a major box office success. Its blend of nostalgia, family-friendly comedy and faithful visual design has ensured its place as one of the most recognisable and commercially successful cartoon-to-live-action adaptations of the 1990s.

The first-ever live-action adaptation of the beloved cartoon series brought Leonardo, Michelangelo, Donatello and Raphael out of the sewers and onto the big screen. The film follows the crime-fighting quartet as they battle the sinister Foot Clan and its mysterious leader, Shredder, all while navigating life in New York City under the guidance of their wise rat sensei, Splinter.

Long before motion-capture technology became commonplace, the film relied on elaborate animatronic suits created by Jim Henson’s Creature Shop to bring the Turtles to life. Unlike the 2014 to 2016 Michael Bay-produced films—where everyone’s favourite pizza-loving ninjas looked as though they spent more time at the gym than in the sewer—the 1990 adaptation opted for a design that felt far closer to the characters fans grew up with. The film also stars Judith Hoag as reporter April O’Neil and Elias Koteas as vigilante Casey Jones, two fan-favourite characters from the franchise.

Darker in tone than the animated series that inspired it, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles struck a balance between action, comedy and martial-arts spectacle that resonated with audiences worldwide. The film became a major box-office success and spawned multiple sequels, helping establish Turtles as one of the most enduring cartoon franchises of the past four decades.

Released during a period when Hollywood was increasingly adapting classic animated properties, The Smurfs brought the popular Saturday-morning cartoon characters to the big screen in a blend of live action and CGI. Reintroducing the beloved franchise for a new generation, it preserves the whimsical charm of the original Belgian comics and animated series.

In the film, the Smurfs are transported from the safety of their enchanted village to contemporary New York City, where they must navigate an unfamiliar world while searching for a way home. Neil Patrick Harris stars as Patrick Winslow, a stressed advertising executive who unexpectedly becomes their human ally, alongside Jayma Mays as his supportive wife, Grace.

The Smurfs combines real-world locations with fully computer-generated versions of iconic characters such as Papa Smurf, Smurfette, Clumsy Smurf and Grouchy Smurf, all pursued by their longtime nemesis, Gargamel (Hank Azaria). Much of the narrative hinges on the culture clash between the Smurfs’ simple village life and the fast-paced urban environment of Manhattan, creating a family-friendly mix of slapstick comedy, adventure and fish-out-of-water humour. While reviews were mixed, the film achieved strong box-office results, leading to a sequel in 2013.

Chipmunk pop stars, CGI chaos and a surprisingly emotional road to stardom—the 2007 Alvin and the Chipmunks film brought the iconic animated trio into a live-action world built for a new generation of family audiences.

Based on the long-running cartoon franchise, the film features Alvin, Simon and Theodore as computer-generated characters living in the real world after accidentally crossing paths with struggling songwriter David Seville, played by Jason Lee. What begins as an unlikely cohabitation quickly evolves into a full-blown music career, as the Chipmunks become overnight sensations with their signature high-pitched renditions of pop hits.

The film became a major box-office success and spawned multiple sequels, cementing the Chipmunks as one of the most commercially enduring cartoon-to-live-action hybrid franchises of the 21st century. Its mix of slapstick humour, music industry satire and family-friendly sentiment ensured its place in the modern wave of animated IP reimaginings.

After Masters of the Universe, Amazon MGM Studios—in partnership with Hasbro Entertainment—is reportedly developing a live-action series adaptation of Jem and the Holograms. Based on the beloved 1980s animated series, the story follows Jerrica Benton, a record company owner who secretly transforms into pop sensation Jem, fronting the band Jem and the Holograms alongside her sisters Kimber, Aja and Shana.

The original series, which debuted in 1985, was known for blending music-driven storytelling with high-gloss melodrama and early MTV-era aesthetics, complete with full musical performances woven into each episode. The new adaptation is expected to lean into that legacy while bringing the franchise into the modern era, amid a broader wave of 1980s nostalgia-driven reboots across film and television.

A live-action film adaptation was released in 2015, but the upcoming series offers an opportunity to reintroduce the property to a new generation while building on the franchise’s enduring appeal. With its blend of music, identity and performance, Jem and the Holograms remains one of the most distinctive cartoon-to-live-action properties currently in development.

Fueled by nostalgia and audiences’ desire to revisit the cartoon series of their childhood, these adaptations continue to find new life in modern-day live-action reimaginings. With the release of Masters of the Universe and the upcoming Scooby-Doo: Origins and Jem and the Holograms reboot, it is clear that Hollywood is more than willing to celebrate beloved franchises with the fans, bringing familiar animated worlds to new audiences through cinematic and streaming-era adaptations.

NOW READ

The woman behind ‘Barbie’: 5 things you might not know about Margot Robbie

Taylor Swift’s ‘I Knew It, I Knew You’ and the ‘Toy Story’ songs that shaped its most beloved characters

From ‘The Studio’ to ‘The Pitt’: 13 must-watch ongoing TV shows you won't find on Netflix