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Second only to Mel Blanc himself, voice actor Jeff Bergman has voiced the most Looney Tunes characters over the longest stretch of time. He “officially” got the gig — the reason for those quotes will become clear below — in 1989 when Bugs, Daffy and the rest became teachers on Tiny Toon Adventures. He’s continued on through dozens of other projects like 1990’s Cartoon All-Stars to the Rescue, 2011’s The Looney Tunes Show, 2015’s New Looney Tunes and last year’s Tiny Toons Looniversity reboot.

While he’s not the only person who’s voiced these characters since Blanc’s passing, he’s been among the most consistent. Which, of course, has steeped him in all sorts of Looney Tunes lore, as well as allowed him to make some of his own. Lore such as…

7 Mel Blanc Was Supposed to Be in ‘Tiny Toons Adventures’

“It was a given that Mel was...

Is “Batman: The Animated Series” the most beloved, well, animated series of the ’90s to not yet receive a reboot? Warner Animation stablemates “Tiny Toon Adventures” and “Animaniacs” have been revived for streamers; when “King of the Hill” comes back (supposedly in 2025), both of Mike Judge’s most popular shows will have made their return; and “The Simpsons” never actually left the air. Now, on the heels of “X-Men ’97” comes “Batman: Caped Crusader” — not an actual continuation of the Warner-produced, Fox-aired Batman saga, but sort of a long-overdue spiritual successor to what many consider the definitive non-comics portrayal of the character. The strongest connection to the previous show: This one is also spearheaded by Bruce Timm, who cocreated the earlier series and remained a dominant force in its development.

This makes “Caped Crusader” both a major event and a potential disappointment; maybe that’s why it’s airing...

To quote Space Ghost himself, "I'll be dead long before you were born, and I'll be dead long before you'll be dead."

In 1994, producer Mike Lazzo donned a pith helmet, filled his arms with machetes, and trekked into the darkest corners of the bleak, terrifying Hanna-Barbera cartoon library. In the depths, he re-discovered a long-forgotten, one-season animated series from 1966 called "Space Ghost," a superhero show about a white-clad, cape-wearing starship captain who fought bud-like villains in the inky void of the cosmos. Space Ghost, voiced by Gary Owens, could pass through walls and oversaw a pair of sidekicks named Jan (Ginny Tyler) and Jace (Tim Matheson) as well as a chimp named Blip (Don Messick). 

Like most of Hanna-Barbera's output, "Space Ghost" was strange and awful. 20 years later, reruns of shows like "Space Ghost" were increasingly enjoyed exclusively by college students under the influence of potent smokables. One would be...

Get ready for double the fun and twice the laughs with “Tiny Toons Looniversity” this Saturday at 9:00 Am on Cartoon Network! In Season 2 Episode 4, titled “Twin-Con,” Babs and Buster find themselves at a twin convention, but their differences lead to them being ostracized by the other attendees. Meanwhile, Hamton accidentally becomes famous, leading Plucky to step up as his manager. And Sweetie is determined to finish her board game, no matter what obstacles stand in her way.

Join your favorite Tiny Toons characters as they navigate hilarious situations and learn valuable lessons about friendship and acceptance. With its mix of zany antics and heartfelt moments, “Twin-Con” promises to be an unforgettable episode that will delight fans of all ages.

So, mark your calendars and tune in to Cartoon Network this Saturday at 9:00 Am for “Tiny Toons Looniversity: Twin-Con.” It’s a wacky adventure you won’t want to miss!

Batman: The Animated Series is regarded as one of the best superhero shows out there, but the series would have never come to fruition if Fox had not complied with a boundary that was set by Warner Brothers when it came to developing the show.

Batman: The Animated Series

Speaking with The Comic Lounge, animation extraordinaire Alan Burnett talked about the behind-the-scenes of the project, and the clauses that Warner Bros. put in that allowed Batman’s development and production to begin.

It all started with Tiny Toons being imported to Fox Batman | Source: Batman: The Animated Series

Alan Burnett talked about the various things that went into the production of the show, one that is collectively considered to be one of the best versions of Batman out there. When talking about the origin of the show, Burnett said, to The Comic Lounge:

“Around 1990 Warner Bros. and Fox Kids were...

The Bruce Timm and Alan Burnett-produced Dcau has had many shows and films that have attained the status of modern classics. Shows such as Batman: The Animated Series, Justice League, and Teen Titans have been classics in the animated TV realm for a generation while the films have constantly been well-received.

While Marvel achieved many milestones through their live-action MCU, they seem to be way behind their DC counterparts. Only a few shows with their most profitable IP such as X-Men and Spider-Man have fared well with audiences. Alan Burnett, who served as a co-producer and writer on many Dcau shows and films reportedly has the reason why.

How Did Alan Burnett Get Into The Dcau? A still from Bruce Timm and Alan Burnett’s Batman: The Animated Series

Alan Burnett reportedly did not study animation when he went to film school. The producer reportedly ended up in the industry,...

Before I knew her as Archie Bunker's little girl Gloria on "All in the Family," I knew Sally Struthers as Rebecca Cunningham on "TaleSpin." A loving single mom and ambitious businesswoman whose outspoken personality belied her petite build, Rebecca -- aka "Becky," "Beckers," and the many other nicknames her responsibility-skirting, party-loving employee Baloo would use to refer to her -- was but one of many reasons to love the "Jungle Book"-inspired animated pulp period adventure series and Disney Afternoon staple. After years of trying (and failing) to keep the peace between her stubbornly conservative dad and her liberal, holier-than-thou husband Michael as Gloria in "All in the Family," Struthers was an expert in the art of sounding flustered, a talent that served her well on "TalepSpin."

Struthers' distinct, gently raspy vocals would allow her to carve out a career for herself as a voice actor, resulting in roles on...

One of the most famous moments in TV history came on September 26, 1962 with the airing of "The Dick Van Dyke Show" episode "Never Name a Duck," the first episode of the second season. During the opening credits of the show, Rob Petrie (Van Dyke) entered through his front door while the upbeat theme music (composed by Earle Hagan) played on the soundtrack. The announcer shouted out the names of the stars: Dick Van Dyke, Rose Marie, Morey Amsterdam, Larry Matthews, and Mary Tyler Moore. Rob stepped out of a foyer and immediately tripped over a large ottoman in his way. Van Dyke, a brilliant physical comedian, tumbled all the way over, rolling over his shoulder and landing on his back. It remains, to this day, one of the most celebrated pratfalls in the history of the medium.

For many years, certain audience members assumed the fall was accidental and that the show's creator,...

The Dcau is one of the most popular and beloved DC adaptations of all time and includes some of the most critically acclaimed animated shows such as Batman: The Animated Series. Despite the Dcau’s popularity during the 90s and early 2000s, the franchise might have never existed if it weren’t for legendary film director Steven Spielberg.

Steven Spielberg on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert

According to the Dcau head Bruce Timm, Spielberg entered the animation medium at a crucial juncture, and his involvement helped pave the way for some of the best entries in the Dcau. As a result, it wouldn’t be an exaggeration to say that Spielberg saved the DC Animated Universe from spiraling into obscurity, and here is why.

Steven Spielberg’s Collaboration With Warner Bros. Animation Likely Saved the Dcau

Steven Spielberg‘s impact on the film industry has been undeniable. However, Spielberg...

Bruce Timm is one of the most popular artists, animators, writers, producers, and directors. Having worked in some of the biggest animated shows of all time – Batman: The Animated Series, Superman: The Animated Series, Batman Beyond, Justice League, and Justice League Unlimited, Timm became one of the leading names in the Dcau. But other than working for the DC Animated Universe, he has worked on many other projects in his career.

Bruce Timm | image: Wikimedia Commons

The success of Batman: The Animated Series led to many accolades for Bruce Timm and the rest of the team behind the mega hit show. And one of the greatest compliments came in the form of Steven Spielberg, who absolutely loved the show. His love for the show extended to the legendary director wanting to collaborate with Timm on another animated show, which later took the form of Freakazoid.

Bruce Timm Collaborated With Steven...

Bruce Timm’s iconic Superman series, Superman: The Animated Series, is one of the rare few projects to have done the character justice. The 1996 series was one of the first to make the character seem realistic, rather than boring or too self-righteous. So much so that many would call him the most accurate version of the character.

Bruce Timm’s Superman: The Animated Series

There is absolutely no doubt that Timm’s contributions helped considerably in making the show what it is today. Being excellent as both an animator and producer, the projects that he has been involved with have become some of the best in DC’s animated universe. This is why it is interesting to find out that he created the Superman series out of spite towards one of the most respected filmmakers of all time.

Suggested“It’s not PG-13, but…”: New Glorifyingly Brutal Batman...

Say bye-bye to Lay Lay.

That Girl Lay Lay will end with Season 2, which is currently airing, TVLine has confirmed.

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Per the series’ official logline, That Girl Lay Lay follows a character named Lay Lay (played by Alaya “That Girl Lay Lay” High), “an avatar from a personal affirmation app that magically comes to life, and her best friend Sadie (Gabrielle Nevaeh,...

There wasn't a more popular or influential (or controversial) sitcom in the 1970s than "All in the Family." Created by Norman Lear, the series was a stingingly hilarious satire of American attitudes as the country adjusted to the post-Civil Rights Movement era and coped with the increasingly unpopular Vietnam War.

The genius of "All in the Family" was Lear's ability to make every single one of his main characters behave ridiculously without becoming full-on caricatures. Archie Bunker (Carroll O'Connor) was an unrepentant bigot, his wife Edith (Jean Stapleton) was a well-meaning ditz, his daughter Gloria (Sally Struthers) was a work-in-progress idealist who went from dopey to fairly sharp as the series progressed, and his son-in-law Michael "Meathead" Stivic represented everything Archie hated about liberals in one preachy package. We all saw a bit of ourselves and the people we have no choice but to call family in the Bunkers, and...

It's looking less likely with each passing day that a mass audience will be able to see Dave Green's comedy film "Coyote vs. Acme." Despite being complete, Warner Bros. infamously decided to cancel the film's release -- and delete it from existence -- just to obtain a massive tax write-off. The few Hollywood insiders who have seen "Coyote vs. Acme" have gone on the record, assuring audiences that it's good. Meanwhile, WB has reportedly received multiple offers for the film from other studios, yet has rejected each and every one of them. It seems "Coyote vs. Acme" is doomed to become yet another lost film, sacrificed on the alter of the Bottom Line. It makes one wonder how many other films have been similarly deleted.

The premise of "Coyote vs. Acme" was fun. Wile E. Coyote -- the voracious carnivore who debuted in Chuck Jones' 1949 short film "Fast and...

Nickelodeon’s Fairly OddParents revival promises wands and wings and floaty crowny things… but not Timmy Turner.

The children’s network has handed a series order to Fairly OddParents: A New Wish, which is being described as a “reimagining” of the Emmy-winning cartoon. The revival will premiere on Nickelodeon in the U.S. and stream internationally on Netflix at an as-yet-unspecified date.

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Voice actor Maurice Lamarche is one of the preeminent elder statesmen of his craft. He started his career in stand up, finding he was a talented mimic, moving into animation in 1980. He appeared in hit shows like "Inspector Gadget" and "Transformers," really hitting his stride in 1985 playing Ego Spengler in "The Real Ghostbusters." He cycled through the KidsWB canon aggressively in the late '80s and early '90s, appearing in "Taz-Mania," "Batman: The Animated Series," "Tiny Toon Adventures," "Freakazoid!," and "Animaniacs" wherein he employed his spot-on Orson Welles impersonation to voice the power-hungry mouse the Brain. His largest sampling of voice caricatures came from his work on the 1994 series "The Critic," where he voiced celebrities ranging from William Shatner to Elizabeth Taylor (but only when she was belching).

In 1999, Lamarche became one of the regulars on Mat Groening's and David X. Cohen's sci-fi sitcom "Futurama" where he played Kif,...

Teenager Meg Griffin isn’t only an afterthought to her family (cartoon dad Peter regularly forgets about her existence even when she’s standing right next to him), the character also didn’t appear in the 1995 student film from which Family Guy creator Seth MacFarlane developed his hit animated comedy.

MacFarlane made animated short ‘The Life of Larry’ while studying at the Rhode Island School of Design in the 1990s. It featured “loveable but tactless lower middle class” dad Larry, his supportive wife Lois, their heavy-set blonde, baseball-cap-wearing son Milt, and “incisive, cynical” talking dog named Steve, plus all the cutaway gags and pop culture parodies for which Family Guy would become famous… but no super-intelligent baby, and no butt-of-every-joke teenage daughter Meg.

One-off 1997 sequel ‘Larry and Steve’ lost Larry’s wife and son to focus on the talking dog, but by the time of the seven-minute 1998 Family Guy pilot,...

Created by Ton Ruegger and overseen by executive producer Steven Spielberg, "Tiny Toon Adventures" debuted in September of 1990, marking a sea change in mainstream TV animation. "Tiny Toons," tapping into 1990s trends toward self-awareness, regularly addressed its own status as a cartoon show, and the characters would frequently give side-eyes to the audience, extract scripts on camera, or even exit their animation cels to cause havoc for the animators. The show's regular obliteration of the fourth wall reflected — and guided — the prevailing winking sarcasm of the 1990s, making it (and I am not exaggerating) a vital and definitive text of the decade. It's no coincidence that it landed the same year as Richard Linklater's "Slacker."

"Tiny Toons" was striking, funny, and launched an entire series of notable Spielberg-backed 1990s cartoons like "Animaniacs," "Histeria!," and "Freakazoid!"

The characters on "Tiny Toons" were largely all distaff "youth" counterparts of established Looney Tunes characters.

The National Academy of Television Arts & Sciences (NATAS) has announced its 2023 Gold and Silver Circle inductees, honorees who have significantly contributed to children’s television.

The inductees will be honored at the second annual Children’s & Family Emmy Awards in Los Angeles on Dec. 17.

According to NATAS, “the Gold and Silver Circle is a society of honor. Inductees have performed distinguished service within the industry, setting standards for achievement, mentoring, leadership, and professional accolades for 50 or 25 years, respectively. They represent the best and the brightest in the television community.”

Gold Circle – 2023 Children’s & Family Inductees:

Peter Engel, Producer/Executive Producer (“Saved By The Bell,” “One World”) David Newell, Actor/Producer/Public Relations Director/Props/Manager/Talent Booker (“Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood,” “My Tale of Two Cities”) Fred Seibert, Producer/Creator/Innovator/Creative Genius/Mentor/Mensch (“Adventure Time,” “The Fairly OddParents”)

Silver Circle – 2023 Children’s & Family Inductees:

Vicki Ariyasu, Senior Vice President,...

J.J. Abrams' 2015 blockbuster "Star Wars: The Force Awakens" was the "Tiny Toon Adventures" of the "Star Wars" universe. Like "Tiny Toons," it takes place in the same universe as the property that inspired it, and the older characters still exist in that universe, but the story focuses on younger, "junior" counterparts -- direct analogs -- to each of the known legacy characters. Just as Bugs Bunny was reflected in Babs Bunny and Buster Bunny, so too was Luke Skywalker (Mark Hamill) reflected in Rey (Daisy Ridley) and Finn (John Boyega). Just as Daffy Duck became Plucky, so too did Han Solo (Harrison Ford) become Poe Dameron (Oscar Isaac). Just as the Roadrunner became Little Beeper, so too did R2-D2 become Bb-8. In the same fashion, Yoda (Franz Oz), the gnome-like sage from "The Empire Strikes Back," was translated into Maz Kanata (Lupita Nyong'o). 

Maz, of course, has a...

No director in Hollywood has a weirder résumé than Alan Smithee. Between 1969 and 2015, his credits included the Richard Widmark western "Death of a Gunfighter"; the horror comedies "Student Bodies" and "Ghost Fever"; the Jodie Foster thriller "Catchfire"; the franchise sequels "The Birds II: Land's End" and "Hellraiser: Bloodline"; episodes of hit TV series like "MacGyver" and "Tiny Toon Adventures"; and music videos for artists like Metallica, Destiny's Child, Wu-Tang Clan, Whitney Houston, and Jennifer Lopez.

But there's a reason for that: "Alan Smithee" is not a real person. It's a pseudonym invented by the Director's Guild of America for filmmakers to use when they no longer want to be credited for their work. This usually happens when they're replaced on a project, or believe that studio interference has altered the film so much that it no longer reflects their vision. That's why you'll sometimes see "Alan Smithee" credited on TV...

On Saturday, September 23, 2023, at 9:00 Am, Cartoon Network will air Season 1, Episode 4 of “Tiny Toons Looniversity” titled “Tooney Ball Lights.” In this episode, Buster and Sweetie decide to join the Tooney Ball team during Electives Week. Meanwhile, Babs and Plucky focus on learning the basics in Anvils 101. This leaves Hamton with a challenge – he must embark on a journey to address his indecisiveness.

The episode will follow the adventures of the Tiny Toons as they explore different electives and tackle various challenges in their educational journey. Buster and Sweetie’s decision to join the Tooney Ball team, along with Hamton’s quest to overcome indecisiveness, promise to be central themes in the episode.

For young viewers who enjoy the antics of the Tiny Toons characters, “Tiny Toons Looniversity” on Cartoon Network offers a simple and entertaining way to follow their adventures in school. Tune in to see how the Toons...

Arleen Sorkin, the original voice of Harley Quinn from “Batman: The Animated Series” and “Days of Our Lives” actor, died on Thursday. She was 67.

DC Studios CEO James Gunn shared the news of Sorkin’s death on Saturday in a post on Instagram.

“Rest in Peace, Arleen Sorkin, the incredibly talented original voice of Harley Quinn, who helped to create the character so many of us love. Love to her family and friends.”

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by James Gunn (@jamesgunn)

Sorkin began her career in the entertainment industry by working in a comedy troupe and as a cabaret performer in the ‘70s and ‘80s. She landed her role as Calliope Jones in “Days of Our Lives” in 1984.

Sorkin’s performance in “Days of Our Lives” scored her two Emmy nominations for outstanding supporting actress in a drama series in 1988 and 1989. She would hold a permanent...

Arleen Sorkin, who portrayed Calliope Jones on the NBC soap opera Days of Our Lives and served as the original voice of the DC Comics character Harley Quinn, had died. She was 67.

Sorkin died Thursday, a source told The Hollywood Reporter. Health issues kept her from acting in recent years.

DC boss James Gunn wrote on Instagram Saturday: “Rest in Peace, Arleen Sorkin, the incredibly talented original voice of Harley Quinn, who helped to create the character so many of us love. Love to her family and friends.”

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by James Gunn (@jamesgunn)

Mark Hamill, who often recorded his lines as the Joker opposite Sorkin, also remembered her in a tribute, writing: “Devastated to learn we’ve lost the brilliant Arleen Sorkin. Not just a wonderful talent, but a truly wonderful person. I’m grateful not only to have worked with her, but to have been her friend.

Dave Filoni’s lengthy tenure with Lucasfilm has seen its highs (Star Wars Rebels, the later seasons of The Clone Wars) and lows (the Clone Wars film, The Bad Batch). But even when his storytelling doesn’t quite work, it never compromises its heart.

Fortunately, Star Wars: Ahsoka, which premieres tonight at 9/8c on Disney+ (with its first two episodes), ranks among the writer-director’s best credits.

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Tiny Toons Looniversity is coming soon to Cartoon Network and the Max steaming service. A soft reboot of the Tiny Toon Adventures series (1990-92), the new show finds the young characters back at Acme Looniversity where they perfect their cartoony craft from the classic Looney Tunes characters. The voice cast of the new animated series includes Eric Bauza, Ashleigh Hairston, Jeff Bergman, Bob Bergen, Candi Milo, David Errigo Jr., Tessa Netting, Fred Tatasciore, and Cree Summer.

Read More…...

It’s well-established cultural lore that the 1990s are of mythical importance to many Gen-Xers and even some millennials.

But why though? Was it the relatively strong economy? Preponderance of the color teal? Or even just the fact that the ’90s was the last decade to seem like its own distinct thing before new millennium turned intervals of 10 into an unrecognizable sludge? Seriously – you rarely hear people opine for the innocent times of the “’00s” or “’10s” because that just sounds ridiculous.

All of those are possibilities but real ’90s-heads know the appeal comes down to one thing alone: the cartoons. Animation quite simply dominated the end of the 20th century. With Nickelodeon, Disney, MTV, and many other studios operating at full capacity, the decade was filled with creative and entertaining options. From crude renderings to lush, operatic works, the ’90s had something for every animation fan.

Since it’s...

Football is life this fall!

Welcome to Wrexham, the docuseries about Rob McElhenney and Ryan Reynolds’ stewardship of the Welsh football team Wrexham AFC, will return for Season 2 on Tuesday, Sept. 12 at 10/9c on FX (and streaming next day on Hulu).

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The Emmy Award-nominated series follows the two actors as they...

They’re still tiny and now they’re learning to be a little looney with a new spin on one of television’s most catchy theme songs.

Tiny Toons Looniversity, the updated take on 1990s favorite Tiny Toon Adventures, used its time at San Diego Comic-Con on Friday morning to unveil its theme song, which as you’d expect, is based on the beloved theme song from the original — but with a new twist.

Composer Matthew Janszen has taken composer Bruce Broughton’s Daytime Emmy-winning tune and remixed the original arrangement and lyrics to fit the rebooted show made for a new generation.

The voice cast features Eric Bauza as Buster, Daffy and Gossamer; Ashleigh Hairston as Babs; David Errigo Jr. as Hamton J. Pig and Plucky; and Tessa Netting as Sweety. Looniversity also brings back Tiny Toon Adventures grads Jeff Bergman, Bob Bergen, Candi Milo and Cree Summer, who...

The lineup for the 2023 San Diego Comic-Con has been unveiled, giving attendees – and those refreshing their browsers the entire weekend – a little less to look forward to but still plenty of panels, reveals and anniversary spotlights. The 2023 Comic-Con is a far more limited affair this year due to major players like Marvel, Sony, Universal, Disney, and more dropping out at least partly due to the ongoing Writers Guild of America strike. And with deadlines on the potential Screen Actors Guild strike quickly approaching, could only harm the event even more.

Here are some of the highlights of the 2023 San Diego Comic-Con:

Thursday, July 20th:

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem – “Paramount Pictures brings a panel discussion and footage presentation with filmmakers.”

Project K – “From the heartland of India emerges a unique tale that intertwines ancient mythology with cutting-edge science fiction, all within the captivating Spice Punk aesthetic. Welcome to Project K,...

This month’s San Diego Comic-Con is shaping up to be more low-key, at least in terms of reveals from Hollywood studios. Only a handful of major film and TV players will be shelling out to bring talent to the convention, with Paramount’s Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles and Peacock’s John Wick prequel The Continental among the film and TV highlights.

The decision for players such as Marvel and Warner Bros. to skip comes as the writers strike rages on, financial struggles tighten belts across Hollywood and the specter of an actors strike looms.

Notably, this will be the first time since 2011 that neither Marvel Studios nor DC’s film division will host a Hall H panel. Marvel has long said it would not come unless it could truly deliver new material (it laid out expansive plans last year and has put several films on hold amid the writers...

Annecy — London-based Hanna-Barbera Studios Europe is set to initiate production next week on “Beast Boy: Lone Wolf,” the first time than a DC title that will be made out of the U.K.

The announcement was made at a studio focus for Warner Bros. Animation, Cartoon Network Studios and Hanna-Barbera Studios Europe, whose fan favourites had a student/exec audience hollering in approval.

Introduced by Sam Register, president of all three companies, the focus must rate at the fastest-paced of all big studio unveils at Annecy, packed by never-seen-before footage of multiple shows. Register didn’t talk strategy: The audience wanted to see shows, and studio execs were excited to show them.

Indirectly, however, the focus said much about the state of animation at Warner Bros. Discovery after it scaled back on originals and restructured organization last year. Some pivots seen at the focus:

*One big Annecy focus highlight was...

“Unicorn: Warriors Eternal,” airing now as part of the Adult Swim programming block on Cartoon Network (and streaming on Max), is centered around four indestructible spirits who travel through time, inhabiting the bodies of whoever is around, as they battle the forces of evil. After a brief prologue, we’re introduced to our characters, who all live in a cartoonishly steampunk-y Victorian London – one warrior inhabits the spirit of a young newlywed woman (complicating matters for her betrothed), another a young street urchin. There’s also a robot named Copernicus who guides the spirits through time.

It is both outlandish and singularly visionary; the kind of thing that could only be dreamed up by Genndy Tartakovsky, the fabled creator of “Dexter’s Laboratory,” “Samurai Jack” and, most recently, the Emmy-winning “Primal.” “Unicorn: Warriors Eternal” feels like both a culmination and extension of Tartakovsky’s previous work, mixing the spiritualism of “Samurai Jack...

Tiny Toons Looniversity is headed to Cartoon Network this fall. The animated series will also be released on the Max streaming service. The reboot follows the education of the next generation of toons -- Babs Bunny, Buster Bunny, Plucky Duck, Hamton J. Pig, and their classmates -- with classic Looney Tunes characters as their mentors.

Tiny Toons Looniversity is a sequel to the Tiny Toon Adventures series, which ran for three seasons and 98 episodes, from 1990 until 1992.

The casting for the new series has mainly been kept under wraps, but original voice actors Charlie Adler, Maurice Lamarche, and Cree Summer have said that they won't be reprising their roles. Candi Milo and Jeff Bergman have indicated that they will be back.

Read More…...

It has been more than 30 years since "Tiny Toon Adventures" went off the air, with the much-beloved "Looney Tunes" spin-off airing its last episode way back in 1992. Fortunately, the nostalgia train has finally come back around on this one, with "Tiny Toons Looniversity" set to debut later this year on both Cartoon Network and the newly-named Max streaming service (formerly HBO Max). And, nearly three years after the show was first announced, we've finally got a trailer!

While this is very much a teaser, it does give us our first taste of Buster Bunny and the gang back in action. Though the story (if there is much of one) is a bit lacking in this first look, it does very much appear to be cut from the same cloth as the show '90s kids fell in love with all those years ago. Let's have a look.

Buster Bunny Returns...

Warner Bros. Discovery unveiled its plans to move past the HBO Max era and into the future with Max. CEO David Zaslav claims it will be “the one to watch.” But will the rebrand succeed?

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Content is King

As audiences decide where to spend their limited streaming budgets, even one show can be enough to sway the choice. But what we saw yesterday doesn’t look appreciably different from what’s on the platform now.

“Game of Thrones” fans will get “A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms: The Hedge Knight” to add to “House of the Dragon.”

Harry Potter fans will get the same Harry Potter saga previously portrayed in films from 2001-2011, but in TV series form.

Fans of “The Batman” will get “The Penguin.”

“Big Bang Theory” fans will get a spin-off sitcom.

Leo D. Sullivan, the groundbreaking Black animator who contributed to the iconic opening for Soul Train and to cartoons featuring Fat Albert, Transformers and My Little Pony during his 50-year-plus career, has died. He was 82.

Sullivan died Saturday of heart failure at Kaiser Permanente West Los Angeles Medical Center, his wife, Ethelyn, told The Hollywood Reporter.

The Emmy-winning Sullivan also was a writer, producer, director, layout artist and storyboard artist at studios including Hanna-Barbera, Warner Bros., Filmation, DePatie-Freleng Enterprises, Dic Entertainment and Marvel Productions.

He and onetime Disney animator Floyd Norman were among the co-founders of Vignette Films in the 1960s. Their company produced educational films about such Black heroes as George Washington Carver and Booker T. Washington and was behind a 1969 Bill Cosby special, Hey! Hey! Hey! It’s Fat Albert, for NBC.

The duo also teamed on AfroKids.com, whose mission it is to build self-esteem and reconnect...

When a pair of "Tiny Toon Adventures" animators tried their hand at reinventing Batman for the small screen back in 1992, they created the definitive version of the Dark Knight for many a '90s kid. Led by Eric Radomski and Bruce Timm, "Batman: The Animated Series" was a big hit for Fox Kids for the three years of its airing. The show re-envisioned Batman for a new generation, picking up where Tim Burton left off with 1989's "Batman" and reintroducing the dark tone that had been so central to the character's inception.

With a Superman film in the works, Warner Bros. Animation president Jean MacCurdy asked Timm if he wanted to cartoons with the DC superhero (via Comicology). Timm and Alan Burnett ("Batman: Mask of the Phantasm") partnered up to work their magic with Superman. Once again, they reinvigorated the character, bringing a distinctive design language, nuanced characters, and mature...

Before "The Tick," and before "The Tick," but after "The Tick," there was "The Tick," the short-lived animated series that ran on Fox from 1994 to 1996. 

The Tick was a parody superhero character originally created by cartoonist Ben Edlund in 1986. The character was a massive pile of muscles wrapped in a skin-tight blue bodysuit, and sporting a tiny pair of tick antennae on his head. He was incredibly strong, incredibly noble, and not at all bright. The Tick was just as in love with the iconography of superherodom as he was with committing acts of justice. He would frequently narrate his own adventures. Ironically, his powers and outfit had absolutely nothing to do with pesky, blood-sucking arachnids. When a thug points out to the Tick that most ticks have eight legs, he confidently retorts "How do you know I don't?"

In the 1994 "The Tick" animated series, the title hero was voiced by Townsend Coleman,...

(Welcome to My Most Ridiculous Note, a series of interviews in which animators talk about the weirdest and funniest notes they received from studio executives.)

"Batman: The Animated Series" is considered by many to be the defining portrayal of the Caped Crusader, a show with incredible visuals, great characters, and stories that didn't talk down to kids while capturing the essence of the comics. The iconic line, "I am vengeance, I am the night, I am Batman!" has stuck with the character for over 30 years, becoming Batman's unofficial official catchphrase.

That famous line comes from the episode "Nothing to Fear," written by Henry Gilroy. An animator who has worked in the industry for decades, starting out on Steven Spielberg's "Tiny Toon Adventures," Gilroy has worked on some of the biggest franchises of the past couple of decades, developed a "G.I. Joe" reboot, written on several Marvel cartoons, as well...

Fandom is a dangerous thing. 99 times out of a hundred, when a fan is asked what new, exciting thing they want to see out of their chosen franchise of affection, they will likely propose something very similar -- if not the exact same thing -- that has been tried in the past. This sort of devotion to a media franchise can be rewarding -- those moments when everyone cheers at the appearance of multiple Spiders-Man -- as well as frustrating -- as when a new idea, wrinkle, character moment, or unexpected death is introduced into a story. 

But it's tricky. After all, a showrunner can only stray so far from a long-running TV show's premise before it ceases to be that show in anything other than name. It must be an enormous headache to balance between introducing new, striking ideas into an extant series and keeping similar moods and iconography intact.

Animator Genndy Tartakovsky began his professional career as an assistant animator on the seminal '90s cartoon "Tiny Toon Adventures," right when the medium was evolving into a new animal. Thanks to the late-'80s and early '90s success of creator-based cartoons like "Beavis and Butt-Head" and "The Ren & Stimpy Show" animators like Tartakovsky suddenly found themselves in a marketplace that was aching for edgier, unique cartoons that were not based on existing IP. In 1996, Tartakovsky created the hit Cartoon Network show "Dexter's Laboratory," and he has been a household name ever since. Tartakovsky went on to create the stoic action series "Samurai Jack,"...

The post Studios Wrongly Thought Genndy Tartakovsky's Fixed Would Need to Be X-Rated appeared first on /Film.

Robert Morse, the impish actor and singer who found early fame and success as the Tony Award-winning star of Broadway’s How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying and enjoyed a late-career second act as an eccentric elder statesman of advertising in AMC’s Mad Men, died yesterday. He was 90.

His death was confirmed by son Charlie to Los Angeles’ ABC affiliate Wednesday night, and was announced on Twitter this morning by Larry Karaszewski, a writer, producer and VP on the board of governors for the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences.

“My good pal Bobby Morse has passed away at age 90,” Karaszewski wrote. “A huge talent and a beautiful spirit. Sending love to his son Charlie & daughter Allyn. Had so much fun hanging with Bobby over the years – filming People v Oj & hosting so many screenings.”

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"An American Tail" is not only one of the highest-grossing animated films of all time, but it also serves as Steven Spielberg's entry into the world of animation. After the success of "An American Tail" and director Don Bluth's follow-up "The Land Before Time", Spielberg decided to go all-in on animation — founding the short-lived Amblimation studio and producing hit cartoons including "Tiny Toon Adventures" and "Animaniacs".

But "American Tail's" success nearly led to a lawsuit from the creator of another mouse-centered tail.

Prior to "An American Tail's" release, Art Spiegelman was hard at work crafting his graphic novel masterpiece "Maus." Upon reading the description of "An...

The post Why Steven Spielberg's An American Tail Was Accused of Plagiarism appeared first on /Film.

Warner Bros. Animation and Cartoon Network Studios have teamed up to sign their first joint overall deal – with Pete Browngardt, exec producer of HBO Max’s Looney Tunes Cartoons

The deal will allow Browngardt, who created Cartoon Network’s Uncle Grandpa and Secret Mountain Fort Awesome, to develop and produce animated programming at both WarnerMedia-owned studios.

The multi-year agreement is the first joint deal between the companies. It will allow Browngardt flexibility across both companies’ character and franchise libraries and give him the opportunity to pursue projects intended for both kid and adult audiences across WarnerMedia platforms and third party networks and streamers.

Warner Bros. Animation currently produces series including Harley Quinn Tiny Toons Looniversity, Velma and Young Justice for HBO Max, DC Super Hero Girls, Teen Titans Go!, ThunderCats Roar for Cartoon Network and The Tom and Jerry Show and Yabba-Dabba Dinosaurs! for Boomerang as well as Animaniacs...

Tom Ruegger wanted no part of a Tiny Toon Adventures spin-off. The animation vet had created the Tiny Toons — kids inspired by the original Looney Tunes characters, now learning comedy from Bugs Bunny and friends — but was already burnt out on them when he was asked if he could build a new show around Plucky Duck or one of Babs and Buster Bunny’s other classmates. “We’ve had it up to here with Tiny Toons,” Ruegger says he replied. “We’re about cooked on them. Let’s do some new stuff.

Babs and Buster Bunny, Plucky Duck, Hamton J. Pig, and their crazy friends are returning. The animated stars of the 1990s Tiny Toon Adventures series are returning in a new show called Tiny Toons Looniversity. HBO Max and Cartoon Network Series have ordered the new series from Amblin Television and Warner Bros. Animation.

There's no word yet if the original Tiny Toon Adventures series' voice actors will return for the new incarnation. They include Charlie Adler, Tress MacNeille, Kath Soucie, Maurice Lamarche, Frank Welker, Rob Paulsen, Danny Cooksey, Cree Summer, Jeff Bergman, Candi Milo, Noel Blanc, Jim Cummings, John Kassir, Bob Bergen, and Greg Burson. Legends Joe Alaskey, Don Messick, June Foray, and Stan Freberg also worked on the original 1990-95 series but have since passed away.

Two seasons have been ordered but there's no word on when the show will launch. A...

When “Animaniacs” returns with all-new episodes Nov. 20 on Hulu, a key ingredient of the original animated series will also return: orchestral music by Steve and Julie Bernstein, two of the series’ primary composers from its 1993-98 run.

Five of the show’s eight Daytime Emmy Awards were won by the “Animaniacs” music team, including the Bernsteins, who have spent most of their careers in Warner Bros. animation, from “Tiny Toons” and “Taz-Mania” to “Pinky and the Brain” and “Histeria!”

And while their work brings a sonic consistency to Warner brothers Yakko (voiced by Rob Paulsen) and Wakko (Jess Harnell), and Warner sister Dot (Tress MacNeille) — as well as world-domination-seeking Pinky (Paulsen) and the Brain (Maurice Lamarche) — what’s unusual is the presence of 30 to 40 musicians on every score.

Virtually all TV animation is now scored with samples and synthesizers emulating the sound of an orchestra, with the occasional addition of...

Babs and Buster Bunny (no relation) are getting a brand new series on HBO Max, bringing the Tiny Toons shenanigans to a new generation. On top of Animaniacs coming back on Hulu, another classic animated series from that era will be returning as well: Tiny Toons! The new series, Tiny Toons Looniversity, will be coming […]

The post Tiny Toons Gets a HBO Max Revival! appeared first on Cinelinx | Movies. Games. Geek Culture..

The Tiny Toons are ready for some new adventures: HBO Max and Cartoon Network have handed a two-season series order to Tiny Toons Looniversity, a reboot of the beloved ’90s animated comedy, TVLine has learned.

In the all-new half-hour series, “Babs, Buster Bunny and the rest of the gang follow their comedic ambitions all the way to Acme Looniversity, the esteemed institution of higher hijinx learning, where young dreamers become professional toons,” per the official synopsis. There, “they form long-lasting friendships with one another and perfect their cartoony craft while studying under the greatest cartoon characters in history, the Looney Tunes.