5 Cartoon Network Classics Too Perfect to Reboot — But Not for the Reasons You Think

Animation revivals are everywhere right now, and Cartoon Network is getting in on it again. Mordecai and Rigby are back this week in 'Regular Show: The Lost Tapes' — not a remake, just a straight return to their world. Meanwhile, the industry has been repainting a lot of classics for new audiences — 'Thundercats', 'She-Ra', 'Batman ', 'Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles', you name it. But some Cartoon Network staples are either creatively off-limits, not built for a 2026 revival, or tied to talent you simply cannot replace.

Here are the ones fans keep asking about — and why they probably are not coming back as reboots:

1. Dexter's Laboratory

   Genndy Tartakovsky has kicked the tires on this before and landed on a hard no. Two reasons. First, the late Christine Cavanaugh was the voice of Dexter and, in his words, the soul of the character. Second, he feels they already said what needed saying with the show.

   "Dexter probably no, because number one, the voice actress passed away, and she was such the soul of Dexter I don't feel comfortable trying to replace her in a way. And we've done so many of them. I don't know why there's more to be done. You know what I mean? It's kind of a weird thing."

   Also, Genndy is plenty busy elsewhere — 'Primal', 'Unicorn: Warriors Eternal', and more — so do not hold your breath for a lab reboot.

2. Ed, Edd 'n Eddy

   This one almost took a very different path. Adult Swim approached creator Danny Antonucci about a sequel with the Eds aged up. He shut it down immediately. That door being closed also slams shut a more traditional remake, because his stance is the same either way.

   "It will fail miserably. They could have done a lot of things like spinoffs with some of the characters. I've been told you can do it for Adult Swim, and they're all grown up, but then you are just repeating an idea. It was what it was, and to go back and revisit would not be the same."

   Translation: no sequel, no reboot, no remix. The cul-de-sac stays exactly where we left it.

3. Space Ghost Coast to Coast

   Could Space Ghost return in some form? Sure — the classic Hanna-Barbera superhero is evergreen. But the specific late-night-host version that helped define early Adult Swim is a tougher ask. That incarnation was anchored by George Lowe's deadpan Space Ghost and the late C. Martin Croker, who voiced Zorak and Moltar and was a key creative force. Without Croker, recreating that exact tone and rhythm would be... not the same. So if Space Ghost pops back up, expect a new spin, not a one-to-one revival of the talk show.

4. Johnny Bravo

   Love him or wince at him, Johnny was a big part of Cartoon Network's early identity. But the character's whole premise does not really fit where kids TV and studio brands sit today. Creator Van Partible has not been teasing a return, and even recent crossover parades like 'Jellystone' and its 'Crisis on Infinite Mirths' event did not dust Johnny off. Fun facts on the road not taken: the show softened after season one, and a live-action movie almost happened. A proper comeback? Not likely.

5. Infinity Train

   When HBO Max started scrubbing animation from the platform, 'Infinity Train' was the cut that set fans on fire. Creator Owen Dennis has been clear: if it comes back, it should continue, not reboot. That actually tracks with how the show works. Each season zeroes in on a different passenger (sometimes returning faces), so you can pick up a new protagonist and keep rolling on the same track. If it returns, expect a fresh lead in the same universe — not a redo.

So yes, revivals are hot, and 'Regular Show: The Lost Tapes' is proof you can go home again without repainting the house. But some doors stay closed for good reasons — creative lines in the sand, a character that does not fly in 2026, or irreplaceable voices that defined an era.