As a longtime admirer of the Looney Tunes franchise, I must say that I find it quite amusing how Warner Bros. seems to be struggling with their iconic IPs. The saga of “The Day the Earth Blew Up: A Looney Tunes Movie” is a perfect example of this. It’s almost as if the studio is playing a game of hot potato, passing these beloved characters from one hand to another.
Approximately a year ago, Warner Bros. opted to postpone the release of “Coyote vs. Acme” in exchange for a tax break, leaving fans hoping for updates. However, another Looney Tunes movie that Warner Bros. initially aimed to abandon is now slated for release. Titled “The Day the Earth Blew Up: A Looney Tunes Movie“, this film focuses on Porky Pig and Daffy Duck as they expose an alien invasion plot and collaborate with Petunia Pig to save our planet. The project was initially spearheaded by Max, but it was put on hold in August 2022 due to Warner Bros. Discovery’s restructuring – the same event that resulted in the cancellation of “Batgirl”, “Scoob! Holiday Haunt” and numerous other productions.
It appears that Warner Bros. Discovery initially offered the chance to sell the movie to different streaming platforms, but it seems like it’s heading for a complete cinematic launch instead. According to Deadline, Ketchup Entertainment has obtained the North American theatrical distribution rights for The Day the Earth Blew Up: A Looney Tunes Movie. Meanwhile, GMF Animation holds the global distribution rights. The movie has already been screened in Germany and Switzerland, but no release date is set for North America yet. Gareth West, CEO of Ketchup Entertainment, commented on the deal:
“We’re thrilled to collaborate with Warner Bros. Animation on the release of ‘The Day the Earth Blew Up’, a significant milestone for the Looney Tunes series! This intelligent, animated movie is set to entertain viewers of all ages when it hits theaters soon.”
Meanwhile, Fred Hedman of GFM Animation said:
“Gareth’s passion for Warner Bros. Animation’s amazing Looney Tunes adventure convinced us that Ketchup Entertainment was an ideal collaborator for distributing the film in North America. We can’t wait to carry on our collaboration with them as they ready the release, where Porky Pig and Daffy Duck will enchant audiences at movie theaters.”
Warner Bros. Discovery Don’t Seem to Know How to Handle Looney Tunes Anymore
Throughout the COVID-19 crisis, it appeared that Warner Bros. was putting a lot of effort into revitalizing the iconic Looney Tunes franchise. Not only did they plan to release the movie Space Jam: A New Legacy, but also the live-action/animated comedy Coyote vs. Acme. At the same time, they announced two more projects: a film titled The Day the Earth Blew Up: A Looney Tunes Movie and a musical streaming release called Bye Bye Bunny. However, following the underwhelming box office and critical response to Space Jam: A New Legacy, it seems that Warner Bros. Discovery has shelved all their Looney Tunes projects.
In a surprising turn of events, the project titled “Coyote vs. Acme” was concluded, yet despite promising test viewings, Warner Bros. Discovery opted to scrap it and claim a tax write-off instead. Regrettably, no advancements have been made on “Bye Bye Bunny”, making the news that “The Day the Earth Blew Up: A Looney Tunes Movie” not only secured a buyer but is now shifting from streaming to a theatrical release all the more exciting.
Although well-known for being one of Warner Bros.’s most recognized trademarks, it appears that Warner Bros. has willingly transferred control of its flagship brand, The Looney Tunes, to an external partner. This mirrors the deal made for the new Batman: Caped Crusader series, which was sold to Prime Video following Max’s decision to abandon it. Now, Ketchup Entertainment, a production company established in 2011, has taken possession of one of Warner Bros.’s most renowned intellectual properties. The upcoming movie, The Day the Earth Blew Up: A Looney Tunes Movie, and Hellboy: The Crooked Man join the list of significant acquisitions by Ketchup Entertainment. This production and distribution company is amassing a variety of IP properties that seem to be considered wild cards by others, properties they either don’t want or are unsure about how to handle.
2024 saw the debut of “The Day Earth Exploded: A Looney Tunes Movie” at the Annecy Animation Festival in France, which was met with enthusiastic responses from attendees. As the first full-length 2D animated Looney Tunes movie to hit theaters, anticipation is running high, and it could be a significant success for Ketchup Entertainment, both critically and financially. There’s a strong possibility that this could mirror the “Nimona” scenario, where the closure of Blue Sky Animation by Disney paved the way for Netflix and Annapurna Animation to complete the project. “Nimona” turned out to be a success and even earned a nomination for Best Animated Feature Film at the Oscars, an achievement that Disney’s own 100-year anniversary movie “Wish” failed to achieve.
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2024-08-09 02:03