With the massive success of last week's POWER / RANGERS short film, it's awoken an interest in seemingly childish cartoons and TV shows that - with the right kind of director and writing - could be turned into a seriously gritty / dark film.

We put on our Movie Studio exec hat and picked out seven possible contenders that could do with an adult rehashing.

7. MAGNUM P.I.

Think about it. Private investigator drives around Hawa'ii, solving cases and driving a classic Ferrari. Get Oscar Isaac to grow a moustache and Nicholas Winding Refn to direct it and you've got the perfect follow-up to Drive.

6. MYSTERIOUS CITIES OF GOLD

First off, the theme music was incredible. Totally 1980's yacht rock classic that you could easily imagine hearing in a hipster bar with overpriced craft beer on tap. Someone like Michel Gondry or Spike Jonze could direct the hell out of this, we think.

5. AIRWOLF

OK, the star of the TV show was essentially a helicopter. Still, we think this could totally work as a dark retelling of the folly of war and, y'know, helicopters. Plus, you could get Jan Michael Vincent to play the one-eyed guy and someone like Chris Pratt to play Stringfellow Hawke. Seriously. What a name. Stringfellow Hawke. The 1980s were amazing. Turn this into an action comedy and get 21 Jump Street's Phil Lord & Chris Miller to direct.

4. SPARTAKUS AND THE SUN BENEATH THE SEA

It's a weird French-Canadian cartoon show set in a post-apocalyptic, underwater world that had some trippy-ass visuals and yacht rock instrumentals for a soundtrack. Is it just us or is this totally a job for Luc Besson?

3. CENTURIONS

This is essentially Top Gun meets Iron Man. Why hasn't this been made into a multi-million franchise already? Do studios not like money? As for who should direct, we think Predator's John McTiernan would be the perfect choice. Yes, the last film he did was Basic and no, we didn't understand it either.

2. GARGOYLES

Seriously, how intense was this cartoon series? Keith David scared the crap out of you with his narration at the start and Jonathan Frakes as the baddie. Dream choice to direct? Christopher Nolan. Only he can mix that large-scale action, set in a city, and make us all totally believe that there's flying gargoyles fighting Commander Riker.

1. THOMAS THE TANK ENGINE



Set in an odd rural community, possibly an island? Check. Weird animation interspersed with long monologues? Check. Said monologues narrated by pop culture phenomenon? Check. Wes Anderson NEEDS to make a Thomas The Tank Engine film and have Bill Murray or Jeff Goldblum narrate it. Hell, Alec Baldwin would do. He already starred in a Thomas The Tank Engine film already.