Hollywood's hottest trend is 20 years old: The 1980s, the decade of big hair, big shoulder pads and big robots, is making a comeback as producers resurrect TV shows and cartoons from the Reagan era for a new generation.

Along with Warner Bros.' successful summer release of "The Dukes of Hazzard," 20th Century Fox is developing a movie version of "Dallas," and Universal Pictures plans to release an updated "Miami Vice" next July.

For families, cartoons such as "The Transformers," "Voltron" and "The Smurfs" — which also were popular toys — are getting makeovers in a bid to make new fans out of the children of the children of the '80s.

One of VH1's most popular and oft-repeated programs is "I Love the '80s" and its sequel, "I Love the '80s Strikes Back." The network has a third installment running Oct. 24-28, "I Love the '80s: 3-D," which can be watched with special glasses to make the nostalgia jump out.

But when does the pop culture of an era go from out of fashion to retro cool?

Producers say it's when the children of the era grow up and settle down. "There's a point where you stop caring about new music and start caring about things from a point in your youth," says Michael Hirschorn, executive producer of "I Love the '80s."

"We're most impressionable when we're 12 to 24 years old, so that what we wore, what we watched, what we listened to has greater import at the time, when you had yet to be distracted by things like jobs and families."

It happened with the '60s during the '80s, though it was reflected in more somber tones through movies such as "The Big Chill," 1988's Vietnam-protesting drama "1969" and record compilations such as "Freedom Rock."

The culture of the 1970s returned in the '90s, with Quentin Tarantino's "Pulp Fiction" and "Jackie Brown" borrowing heavily from the era. Kevin Smith's characters in "Clerks" and "Chasing Amy" were obsessed with their '70s youth, especially "Jaws" and "Star Wars."

The comic-book company Devil's Due Publishing scored best-selling titles recently by resurrecting the "GI Joe" and "Voltron" series, both hit '80s cartoons.

"Twenty years after something is popular, people who liked those things as kids come back again and collect them, now that they have disposable income," says Josh Blaylock, 28, president of Devil's Due. "Part of the appeal as you get older is you want to see the characters come back with a harder edge."

Adam Goodman, production chief for DreamWorks, which is making "The Transformers," says the 1980s are back because twenty- and thirtysomethings now have kids. "We grow up with certain icons ... and being able to share it with someone else and see it through their eyes for the first time is very satisfying," Goodman says.

Here's a look at the '80s properties being made into movies, how the stories will change, and what stays the same:

'THE SMURFS'

Status: Script development; release date uncertain.

Original series: The popular Saturday-morning cartoon on NBC (1981-'90) is about a village of tiny, blue forest creatures on the run from the hapless wizard Gargamel. Based on the comic strips of Belgian artist Peyo.

The new take: "The Smurfs" will return as computer animation, but the sweet tone of the show — and its message about living in harmony with nature and being loyal to friends — will remain.

"The Smurfs need to be really smart. At their heart are really great beings that make all of us look at the world the way it could be rather than the way it always is," says Jordan Kerner, whose credits include "Inspector Gadget" and the upcoming "Charlotte's Web."

Kerner says the story will be a comic adventure, with a "Lord of the Rings"-like fellowship of Smurfs unraveling a mystery.

"We looked for what are the pressing questions about the Smurfs," he says. "How did they get here? Who is Gargamel and why does he want Smurf soup?"

'MIAMI VICE'

Status: Filming; release set for July 2006.

Original series: 1984-89. Don Johnson and Philip Michael Thomas played two Florida detectives who indulged in sports cars, fast boats and beautiful women while bringing down drug kingpins.

The new take: Colin Farrell is taking over Johnson's Sonny Crockett, while Jamie Foxx will play Thomas' Ricardo Tubbs for this action-thriller set in the present time.

Don't expect to see many of the fashion trends the original show popularized, like the stubble beards, pastel T-shirts and white suits — they're mocked in the movie. Farrell and Foxx say the film will be a serious crime drama, not a jokey homage like 2004's "Starsky & Hutch."

"Collateral" and "Heat" filmmaker Michael Mann, who produced the original "Miami Vice," is directing the remake, so he's unlikely to poke fun at his own past.

'DALLAS'

Status: Casting; 2006 release.

Original series: Though it spanned three decades (1978-'91), this prime-time melodrama about a Texas oil family and its Cain and Abel sons — evil J.R. and idealistic Bobby — had its heyday in the 1980s.

The new take: Although the show originally was a drama, the over-the-top emotions and cruel, dirty dealings of the characters will now be played for comedy. "Monster-in-Law" and "Legally Blonde" filmmaker Robert Luketic, 33, will direct.

Producers say real-life corporate scandals have groomed audiences to enjoy a movie about the woes of the wealthy and corrupt.

"In a post-Enron universe, the idea of this uber-powerful Texas family feels incredibly hip," says Sanford Panitch, production chief for New Regency Productions, which is making "Dallas."

Among the updates to the story, Panitch says, the petulant Ewing granddaughter, Lucy (played on the TV series by Charlene Tilton), will be a Paris Hilton-like socialite.

J.R. will remain the iconic "character you love to hate," Panitch says.

Who shot J.R.? What about the Bobby Ewing death that turned out to be a dream? Panitch says the film will "have fun embracing the more outrageous story twists" of the series.

'THE TRANSFORMERS'

Status: Preproduction; debut set for July 2007.

Original series: This glorified toy commercial, which ran 1984-'87, is about shape-shifting alien robots who disguise themselves as trucks, boats, jets and sports cars.

The new take: Although the "Transformers" series and toys have taken several different forms over the years, executive producer Steven Spielberg says the film will lean toward the original 1980s version.

"I was not a kid, and I loved them," he says. "I would buy Transformer toys for my kids, but then I would play with them in secret. (The movie) is going to be really steeped in tradition, but it makes way for a newer line of toys."

Expect to see the heroic Autobots led by Optimus Prime — the cartoon's John Wayne-like tractor-trailer leader — as they battle evil Decepticons, who threatened human life and Earth's resources in pursuit of new energy sources.

"Armageddon" crash-master Michael Bay is directing the live-action adventure. Robots are rendered in photo-realistic computer animation

VOLTRON

Status: Script development; release date undetermined.

Original series: A Japanese toy line inspired this cartoon (1984-85) about five mechanical lions that can be assembled to form a giant humanoid robot named Voltron.

The new take: Live-action sci-fi movie is about an unstoppable alien force that is threatening to extinguish human life. Five pilots nursing assorted grudges against each other join forces to locate the five mechanical lions, which legend says will form a weapon to defeat the invaders.

"Voltron's half magic, half technology," says producer Ford Oelman, who used to race home from school to watch the cartoon. "If you're alone, you won't survive. But if you unite with a group of friends, you're indestructible."

Hip-hop producer Pharrell Williams ("Hot in Herre") will create the film's music, using his love of '80s rhythms.