The ’90s was an experimental time in animation. While the trend had already started in the 1980s and continued well into the following decades, television saw a whole slew of animated series based on popular movie franchises. A few times, the crew and even the cast of the original films got involved. Often, they picked up where the story originally ended, but some shows were prequels or even set in alternate universes.
Notably, even movies that weren’t necessarily originally aimed at kids sometimes got cartoons. This generally came with the mindset that children who grew up watching these animated series would be all the more likely to become fans of the original movies when they got older. That said, a few movies that were aimed at kids got animated series during this time as well, helping to turn children’s films into marketable franchises. Even classic movies that have been loved for generations made their way to the small screen during this time.
Here are the best ’90s cartoons based on popular movies.
10 Ace Ventura: Pet Detective (1995)
Ace Ventura: Pet Detective inspired a cartoon spin-off of the same taking place after the events of the first film. As in the movie, Ace is a pet investigator with a strong connection to animals. The series came out on CBS in 1995, a year after the original movie, and lasted for two seasons. A third season later aired on Nickelodeon, running from 1999 to 2000.
This Wouldn’t Be the Last Jim Carrey Film to Get a Cartoon
While toning down the original film’s darker moments, the series really played up the zaniness of the original movie. Taking advantage of being animated, Ace got to go on adventures like rescuing Santa’s reindeer, stop a cheerleading witch, or take on an evil were-moose. One notable writer for the series was Seth MacFarlane, a few years before the release of Family Guy.
Stream on Amazon Prime Video
9 The Mask: Animated Series (1995)
Jim Carrey’s films inspired quite a few animated series in the 1990s. The Mask: Animated Series took more influence from the film of the same name than the earlier comic, making use of the Mask’s “animated” antics. As in the film, mild-mannered Stanley Ipkiss transforms into his green-faced alter-ego, The Mask, who takes on a variety of villains.
Stanley Even Got to Meet Ace Ventura
Despite having a fair share of adult jokes, the series still took a lighter tone than the movie. Notably, Peggy Brandt, who betrayed Stanley in the original film and was killed off in a deleted scene, returns for the series, apparently having been forgiven for her actions in the movie. Infamously, Tina, Stanley’s love interest in the film, doesn’t appear in the animated series.
Taking advantage of Jim Carrey having multiple animated series running at the same time, The Mask and Ace Ventura have a two-part crossover. In the story, Stanley hires Ace when his dog Milo goes missing. Each half aired as an episode of each series and originally aired alongside each other.
8 Dumb & Dumber (1995)
Before 1995 was over, a third Jim Carrey film inspired another animated series: Dumb and Dumber. Bennett Yellin, who co-wrote the original film, helped to write the animated series. Lloyd and Harry have regained their dog-van, “Otto.” This time, they are also joined by a purple beaver, Kitty, who appears to be the brains of the operation.
Harry Might Sound Like a Familiar Starfish
Matt Frewer, known for playing Max Headroom, would take on the role of Jim Carrey’s character Lloyd Christmas. Meanwhile, Jeff Daniels’ character Harry Dunn, was voiced by Bill Fagerbakke years before he’d become known as the voice of SpongeBob SquarePants‘ Patrick Star.
The series has the distinction of being the final Hanna-Barbera cartoon to air on broadcast television, premiering on ABC. However, the series proved short-lived, only lasting one season.
7 Back to the Future: The Animated Series (1991)
Back to the Future Part III ends with Doc and his family moving onto an unknown time. Back to the Future: The Animated Series made use of this, revealing Doc, his wife Clara, and their sons Jules and Verne have moved to the present. That said, the Brown family still goes on a variety of adventures through time and space.
Christopher Lloyd Even Appeared In Live-Action Segments
Despite the focus being on Doc’s family, Marty McFly was still a main character, with Jennifer Parker and Biff Tannen also appearing. In fact, thanks to all the time travel adventures, the show features a few of Marty and Biff’s ancestors and descendants.
Thomas F. Wilson, who played Biff Tannen, and Mary Steenburgen, who played Clara, reprised their characters from the films. While Doc was voiced by Dan Castellaneta of The Simpsons fame, Christopher Lloyd reprised the character in live-action segments for the series.
6 Jumanji: The Animated Series (1996)
Based on the 1995 film, Jumanji: The Animated Series saw Judy and Peter Shepherd get regularly sucked into the world of the game, where they encounter Alan, another player who got trapped in the game. Throughout the series, the two kids reenter the game in the hopes of saving him. The character designs for the series were also notably developed by Everett Peck of Duckman fame.
One Major Character From the Film Got Cut
The series notably ends with a proper finale, in which Alan escapes the game, similar to the original movie. Van Pelt serves as the series’ most recurring villain, but other enemies appear, like the trickster J.H. “Trader” Slick. Interestingly enough, Bonnie Hunt’s character, Sarah Whittle, doesn’t appear in the series, and the children’s aunt is instead set up as Alan’s love interest.
Stream on Tubi
5 Men in Black: The Series (1997)
Men in Black: The Series fills in the story between the first and second Men in Black films. Something of an alternate continuity, Agent K hasn’t retired and looks younger, Agent J is still a rookie, and Agent L is a senior staff member.
The Movie & Its Cast Exist Within the Series’ Universe
Notably, the original movie exists as a movie within the series’ universe, with Will Smith, Tommy Lee Jones, and Rip Torn even getting name-dropped. Some of the actors from the films, Tony Shalhoub and Vincent D’Onofrio, also appeared in the series. The series is also credited with promoting the popularity of the Worm Guys and Frank the Pug, with them also getting a larger role in the second film.
4 The Little Mermaid (1992)
The 1990s saw one of the first animated series starring a Disney princess with The Little Mermaid. Serving as a prequel to the theatrical film, if only to justify the title, the series revolves around Ariel’s life under the sea before she meets Prince Eric.
Ariel Even Got To Meet Her Original Author
Ariel often deals with the sea witch Ursula, but a few new enemies, too, like the Evil Manta. Of course, the series also introduces a few new friends for Ariel, like the mer-boy Urchin and the deaf mermaid Gabriella. Though they can never properly meet for continuity’s sake, Prince Eric makes a few cameos in the series. In one famous episode, Ariel even encounters and rescues Hans Christian Andersen, inspiring his famous story.
Stream on Disney+
3 Aladdin: The Series (1994)
Aladdin: The Series takes place around the end of The Return of Jafar. Aladdin and his friends, including a redeemed Iago, go on all sorts of adventures, many of which seem inspired by the tales of Scheherazade.
There Was Even a Crossover With Another Spin-Off
Aladdin soon developed his own gallery of rouges, like the young sorcerer Mozenrath, the catlike Mirage, and the plucky young witch Sadira. Of course, the series also introduced a few allies for Aladdin and his friends who proved popular with fans, like Genie’s love interest, Eden.
Aladdin and the King of Thieves effectively serves as the series finale. The series also had a crossover with Hercules: The Animated Series in “Hercules and the Arabian Night,” which saw the two heroes join forces to take on Hades and Jafar’s ghost.
2 Beetlejuice (1989)
Beetlejuice loosely adapted the film of the same name into an animated format. Lydia Deetz lives in Peaceful Pines, where things can be sickeningly sweet or, in the case of her nemesis Claire, outright obnoxious. Luckily, the titular “ghost with the most,” Beetlejuice has been reimagined as her best friend, and together, the two go on all sorts of otherworldly adventures.
“It’s Showtime!”
The series lasted from 1989 to 1991. During its run on Nickelodeon, it also helped serve as one of the network’s flagship animated series. It also helped introduce Tim Burton’s characters to a generation of kids. The series notably takes a lot of liberties from the movie, from cutting out the Maitlands to Beetlejuice and Lydia’s healthier relationship. However, some fans prefer to fill in the blanks and speculate about just how the two series could work together.
Stream on Tubi
1 The Wizard of Oz (1990)
While The Wizard of Oz has inspired a few series over the years, most are officially based on the original books. In 1990, however, Dic’s The Wizard of Oz series had the distinction of being a direct spin-off of the classic 1939 film. Despite the film implying Dorothy’s adventures to be a dream, the animated series portrayed Oz as a real place.
“We’re Off To Save the Wizard!”
Picking up where the original film left off, Dorothy finds the ruby slippers and wishes herself back to Oz, where she learns the infamous Wicked Witch of the West has come back to life. It is up to Dorothy and her friends to find the Wizard, who the Witch has constantly blown all over Oz.
While the series proved short-lived, it has developed a cult following over the years. The series also notably featured music from the original film, with characters often breaking out into song. A later attempt to adapt the film into an animated series would come in Dorothy and the Wizard of Oz. Unlike the Dic series, this version often included more characters from the original books, like Queen Ozma.
