Top 10 Cartoons Brought to LIVE ACTION by AI
#10: “He-Man and the Masters of the Universe” (1983-85)
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We already got a live-action He-Man film with 1987’s “Masters of the Universe”. But while that movie’s campy interpretation did gain a cult following, it also left a lot to be desired! YouTuber DeusVultAI used the AI program Midjourney to re-imagine the characters in the style of an 80’s dark sci-fi movie. The iterations of He-Man recall muscle-bound 80s action heroes, and Beast Man and Man-At-Arms look just like we imagined. YouTuber peepeepoopoo dreams (there’s something we never thought we’d say out loud) has also uploaded a suitable epic, AI -generated re-imagining!
#9: “Avatar: The Last Airbender” (2005-08)
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The actual live-action adaptation of “Avatar: The Last Airbender” in 2010 had everyone wishing it had remained in animation. A show so beloved deserves an adaptation that honors the details, lore and spirit of the source material. Netflix is having another go in 2024 with a live-action series. In the meantime, YouTuber How Not To AI Art has offered a pretty intriguing AI-generated take. Some of these characters really look spot on. That just is Mai! And we’re very glad the Cabbage Merchant was included too.
#8: “BoJack Horseman” (2014-20)
There’s something very uncanny about seeing BoJack as a realistic horse head on a human body. This is in contrast to Princess Carolyn here, who looks pretty wild. And yet, some of these iterations do sort of look how we’d imagine her in live-action! The images come from YouTuber I'm-not-a-bot’s ‘horsing around’ with AI to create an 80’s sitcom version of “BoJack”. Mr. Peanutbutter brought an instant smile to our faces. If you still don’t have your BoJack live-action fix, check out dinsfire’s parody of the intro sequence! It isn’t AI but it does still make us chuckle.
#7: “Rick and Morty” (2013-)
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In a way, a live-action “Rick and Morty” brings the sitcom full-circle. After all, it began as a parody of “Back to the Future”. Christopher Lloyd even played Rick in a few short clips released by Adult Swim. Popcorn Futurists offers an AI-generated version with an 80s Dark Sci-Fi theme. Yeah … the 80s nostalgia is going to be strong with this list! All the main characters are brought to life , and damn Space Beth looks cool! Even Pickle Rick is in there. We know it doesn’t really fit our criteria, but we also really want to give a nod to DESIGNBYFEO’s “Rick and Morty” clips, created with Unreal Engine 5 and an AI voice generator.
#6: “Futurama” (1999-)
What would “Futurama” look like as a 80s dark fantasy film? If you’ve ever asked that very specific question … here’s the answer, courtesy of YouTuber Tenzin Tensor and AI. These characters look so real, we feel like we must have watched this movie as kids! Maybe in a parallel universe? Leela looks badass with her new cyborg gear. We definitely wouldn’t want to mess with this version of Bender, or the beefed up, armored Zoidberg. For a more light-hearted approach, Suburban Garden has released “Futurama as an 80s Family Sitcom”. Honestly, that looks like a fun show!
#5: “Dragon Ball Z” (1989-1996)
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The best of these creations look real, but also capture some of the stylization that makes the characters iconic. And that’s something that we think Dan Taveras Music achieved with “Dragon Ball Z as a 90s live action Family Sitcom”. Goku and Vegeta are instantly recognizable. Piccolo was obviously more challenging, but still looks decent. Dan Taveras Music has also uploaded a 1980s Dark Fantasy Film version. For more anime-based creations, check out storylore’s “Sailor Moon as an 80's Action Film”. And yo chill bruh’s “Evangelion as an 80's Family Sitcom”!
#4: “SpongeBob SquarePants” (1999-)
It’s quite a feat to imagine sea animals as human characters. And yet JolyTool’s re-imagining using Midjourney definitely gives us strong “SpongeBob” vibes! The titular character has just the right bright-eyed, goofy energy! Some of the characters seem to resemble real actors. Is there a bit of Steve Buscemi in that version of Plankton? For an alternative, dark fantasy take, The Pharaoh Nerd has also generated a version of “Spongebob” - one that may well come to life in your nightmares.
#3: “Family Guy” (1999-)
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The 80s spins keep coming. And in the case of “Family Guy”, well it kinda fits. Lyrical Realms has given us “Family Guy as an '80s live action family sitcom”. While there are a few variations of the characters, they all more or less hit the mark. Sure, Stewie and Brian look pretty different, but with the right voice acting, we can see it working! Who knew Seth MacFarlane’s sitcom could seem so wholesome? OK, with the exception of Ernie the Giant Chicken. Suddenly, we’re in an 80s horror movie.
#2: “South Park” (1997-)
Even as an 80s sitcom, we can’t imagine “South Park” ever being wholesome! Demonflyingfox has uploaded a slew of incredible AI-generated videos. One of the most viral is “Harry Potter by Balenciaga”. Their AI-generated take on “South Park” has also garnered millions of views. Eric, Kyle, Stan, and Kenny are right on the money. So is Randy! A second video adds animation, really bringing the characters to life! Sure, it makes us feel like we’re sliding right down into the uncanny valley, but it also really helps us imagine what a live-action “South Park” might look like!
#1: “The Simpsons” (1989-)
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We’ve actually seen “The Simpsons” in live-action before - in a Sky One promo that was used as the opening of the 17th season episode “Homer Simpson, This is Your Wife”! While that was fun, The Pharaoh Nerd offers an AI-generated version that really bridges the divide between animation and live-action. Naturally, it’s “The Simpsons” as an 80's sitcom - what else? Realistically, that image of Marge probably was the best way to represent her hair! Did you know that her hair was originally designed to conceal rabbit ears?! Demonflyingfox, from our previous entry, has also uploaded a version. Homer, Marge, Bart, and Lisa are instantly recognizable, and we think the versions of Moe and Milhouse in particular stand out!
