When you watch a good movie, you never want the story to end. You watch it again and again, but your imagination wanders. Plots are finite, self-contained, and measured, but you know the characters are deeper than two hours of run time. Rather than have your videotape get snarled and ejected from your VCR player or rehash and recite those plot points, you know by heart, the story can continue.

Movies have crossovers, pitch unlikely mash-ups, and are even turned into television series shortly after their release in theaters. Robocop, The Karate Kid, and The Neverending Story had their worlds expanded in animated, episodic adventures, some with mixed receptions. The eighties pumped out action and fantasy flicks like it was a contest, but there were films from the era that would have made for excellent cartoons.

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Big Trouble in Little China (1986)

     20th Century Fox

Ignoring its box office failure at the time, Big Trouble in Little China was an adrenaline rush. Before Kurt Russell played Peter Quill’s father in Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2, he was trucker Jack Burton. He is an action figure come to life. Imagine the catchphrase-worthy banter, the over-powered dark magic, the endless high jinks from capers in Chinatown. While a sequel for Big Trouble may be in the works, a cartoon for the wild martial arts fantasy adventure would be oodles of fun for younger viewers.

E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial (1982)

     Universal Pictures

Having E.T. as a friend was like having a home away from home. Steven Spielberg’s classic film about friendship, alienation, and miscommunication certainly had lessons for kids to appreciate. A cartoon would have continued the otherworldly adventures of Elliot and the friendly extra-terrestrial. Elliot would have the chance to visit E.T.’s home for a change. More telepathic flights on Kuwahara bikes. More healing finger touches. Maybe less traumatic scenes of nearly dying facedown in a ditch and being bedridden in a hospital full of nameless scientists next to your dying best friend. Spielberg knew how to make a kid cry. An episode of late night and long-distance phone calls over bowls of Reese’s Pieces from home where everyone is safe will make up for it.

Indiana Jones (1981-Present)

     Lucasfilm

There is an entire world of possibilities when it comes to animating the famous Nazi-fighting archeologist. With all the hidden artifacts from forgotten ancient civilizations, a cartoon just makes sense. There was the short-lived TV series, The Young Indiana Jones Chronicles, but The Adventures of Indiana Jones is the closest to an animated series fans will get. Indiana Jones 5 is still happening, so maybe after it is all said and done, a cartoon can finally be made.

Rocky (1976)

     MGM/United Artists

Think about all the contenders Rocky Balboa could have fisticuffs with if he were a cartoon. A Rocky cartoon would be like having an animated Punch-Out!! Clubber Lang and Thunderlips have the funny names, the stage presence, and the attitude. Workout routines and press junkets can be even more ridiculous. The turtles, Cuff and Link, can finally get more love. Montages can be in full force, showing off the mundane and the momentous. Mickey can berate and motivate his champion in training with metaphors. At the end of every episode, Rocky can give his famous “Everybody Can Change” speech or recite his poem to Adrian, or visit his statue at the Philadelphia Museum of Art. Rocky every Saturday morning would have every kid going the distance come Monday morning.

The Breakfast Club (1985)

     Universal Pictures 

The timeless coming-of-age high school drama put a label on student cliques and the societal peer pressure to fit in and stand out. It also showed the necessity of rebelling in a sea of sameness from the school system. An animated show for the Brat Pack would be like Degrassi, but with more of an edge. Audiences can explore these relatable characters much closer and deeper in an episodic fashion, getting to the root of the traumas and triumphs of each. Another list of great lessons could have come out of this potential cartoon.

The Goonies

     Warner Bros.

Talk of The Goonies 2 has been up in the air for years. Mixed opinions from the original cast made the sequel uncertain. A cartoon would seem more likely for the rambunctious swashbucklers. In fact, an animated Goonies show was considered for Cartoon Network, but the project fell through. While the coming-of-age adventure of the Oregon youths and One-Eyed Willy have sailed away, their adolescence could have been explored even more prior to the threat of their homes facing foreclosure.

The Terminator (1984)

     Orion Pictures

A time-traveling robot assassin who threatens to keep the dystopian future alive and the human species nonexistent, does not seem kid-friendly on the surface. A machine that kills and impersonates your mother does not scream “family entertainment” either. But, kids can handle darker themes in their cartoons. An animated Terminator would be able to pull it off with the disruption of timelines. Seasons for the future, past, present, and the blending of the three, would be a fun thriller and mystery to watch and piece together too. By 2029, a cartoon about the artificial intelligent human mimic would be a welcomed surprise. Hopefully no animators die making it.