Warner Bros. Erases 95 Years of Animation History in a Single Day

Generations of fans have enjoyed ‘Looney Tunes’ for almost a century.  Under the Merrie Melodies brand, it all started in 1930 with the short picture ‘Sinkin' In The Bathtub’, which lacked the now-iconic characters.  As time passed, well-known figures such as Wile E. Coyote, Daffy Duck, and Bugs Bunny came to life, and their animated shorts were shown before big-budget films.  Fan favourites included ‘Duck Dodgers’ in the 24 1/2th Century and ‘Rabbit Fire’, two episodes that exemplified the franchise's ingenuity and witty comedy.

Warner Bros. has recently become less enthusiastic about ‘Looney Tunes’, despite their enormous cultural influence.  Although the original shorts have always been popular with viewers of all ages, the studio took them down from their streaming service, Max, recently, classifying them as "children’s" programming.  This action is a part of Warner Bros.'s larger focus shift away from the property that formerly contributed to the studio's profitability.

Image Courtesy: Prime Video

‘The Day The Earth Blew Up: A Looney Tunes Movie’ was one notable victim of this change.  Originally slated to be the first full-length 2D ‘Looney Tunes’ movie, Warner Bros. abandoned it, and smaller distributors surreptitiously released it later.  In contrast to ‘Space Jam: A New Legacy’, which was released and promoted well despite being less faithful to the iconic spirit, the lack of marketing led to disappointing box office results.

An additional lost chance was Coyote VS. ACME, a movie that would have starred John Cena and James Gunn as Wile E. Coyote sues ACME Corporation.  Sadly, Warner Bros. put the project on hold, discouraging both the creative team and fans.  Nonetheless, ardent supporters are still pushing for its release, raising the possibility that ‘Looney Tunes’ will eventually regain the recognition it so richly deserves.

–Farheen Ali