It looks like the intrepid heroes of International Rescue will be returning to their Thunderbird rescue crafts to mark a mini-revival of the classic 1960s children’s TV series.
The original show was created by Gerry Anderson, with his wife Sylvia, and it aired between 1965 and 1966, with 32 episodes broadcast. This was followed by two big screen adaptations: Thunderbirds Are Go (1966) and Thunderbird 6 (1968). Since then there has been a revival of sorts. In 2004 a movie version was made, titled Thunderbirds and directed by Star Trek’s Jonathan Frakes. Later, a computer-animated remake, Thunderbirds Are Go, premiered in the U.K. in April 2015.
Now comes the news of a return to the puppets and some new stories. Show creator Gerry Anderson passed away in 2012; the new project is supported by the Gerry Anderson estate – represented by his son Jamie Anderson – and Sylvia Anderson. As well as Thunderbirds, Anderson created such shows as Captain Scarlet, Joe 90 and Stingray. These productions were described as being filmed in “Supermarionation” (a mix of of “super”, “marionette” and “animation”.)
According to the BBC, the three new episodes, starring the show’s iconic puppets, will be made at Slough Trading Estate in Berkshire, U.K. For the production, the puppets and sets will be recreated; however, audio recordings of the original voice cast will be used to make up the dialogue to go with the new storylines. It is not known where the new episodes will be broadcast, although the production companies are in discussion with several TV studios.
