Latest news with #WarnerBros.Animation
Yahoo
2 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
‘Steven Universe: Lars of the Stars' Unveiled in Annecy: Studios Sneak Peek New ‘Regular Show,' ‘Foster's,' ‘Adventure Time,' ‘Gumball' Series
Cartoon Network Studios is expanding the beloved 'Steven Universe' franchise with a brand-new series, 'Steven Universe: Lars of the Stars,' now in development for Prime Video. The announcement was made Wednesday during the Warner Bros. Animation, Cartoon Network Studios and Hanna-Barbera Studios Europe showcase at the Annecy International Animation Film Festival by 'Steven Universe' creator Rebecca Sugar. After a very brief introduction from studio president Sam Register, the great and powerful – which featured a clip of him appearing as an Oz-like floating head surrounded by jets of flames – it was revealed 'Teen Titans Go!', the longest running animated series in DC history, has been renewed for a tenth season on Cartoon Network. The irreverent comedy, based on DC's teen superhero team, continues to follow Robin, Starfire, Cyborg, Beast Boy and Raven as they juggle crimefighting with the absurdities of teenage life. Executive producers Luke Cormican, Peggy Regan and Sam Register return for the milestone season. More from Variety 'Cat in the Hat' Teases Not One, but Three Different Worlds - and a Pig in a Wig Passion Paris, Amplitude Studios Partner on Animated Series Set in the Endless Universe (EXCLUSIVE) 'We Did Not Make 'Animal Farm' for Any Algorithm': Director Andy Serkis on Animating Orwell This year's Cartoon Network Studios, Warner Bros. Animation, Hanna Barbera studio focus presentation was a bit different than what annual attendees have come to expect from the outfit. Traditionally, the company's executives offered up a rapid-fire look at large parts of its pipeline, but this year, with many of the company's most legendary creators in town to celebrate 25 years of CNS, the talent took over. Executive produced by Sugar alongside her partner and 'OK K.O.! Let's Be Heroes' creator Ian Jones-Quartey, 'Steven Universe: Lars of the Stars' will follow up on the original show, tracking fan-favorite character Lars Barriga, described as an 'eternal teenager and space outlaw.' According to the official description, the sequel series will chart Lars and his pirate crew as they 'smuggle contraband, evade the authorities, and uncover the darkest secrets of the fallen Gem Empire.' The original 'Steven Universe' became a cultural phenomenon during its 2013–2020 run, earning a Peabody Award for its storytelling, diversity and emotional depth. This new chapter promises to explore the 'past, present and future of the Steven Universe universe,' deepening the lore of the series that redefined modern animation. Before sharing her exciting news, Sugar, unannounced, emerged from the assembled audience to perform a new original song that she wrote for the upcoming second season of CNS's popular 'Adventure Time' spinoff, 'Adventure Time: Fionna and Cake.' Several clips and images were shared from the show's second season, which made it clear that the Huntress character will play a much larger role this time around. Leading the 'Adventure Time'-related section of the day's presentation was showrunner Adam Muto, who also offered up a very early look at 'Adventure Time: Side Quests.' The show's opening sequence, still a work in progress, was shared, and will feel extremely familiar to fans of the original series. 'Regular Show' creator J.G. Quintel teased his new 'Regular Show' series, but coyly kept most details, including the show's title, a closely hidden secret. He did say he would share some artwork of new characters from the show, but instead just flipped through a tasty looking slideshow of cartoon food products. Quintel was less withholding when it came to another of his projects, the upcoming YA animated series 'Super Mutant Magic Academy,' based on the comic of the same name by Jillian Tamaki. Artwork and an animatic were shown, giving the impression that the show will land somewhere between 'X-Men' and 'Harry Potter,' as its title plainly suggests. The Studio Focus also included an appearance from cartoon legend Craig McCracken, who shared an early look at his upcoming preschool adaptation of 'Foster's Home for Imaginary Friends.' And while the show will be aimed at a younger audience, McCracken insisted it would not necessarily be educational or aspirational, prioritizing humor above all else. In a brief animatic clip, it was made clear when Bloo taught the invisible friends around him that the day's lesson was to never ever ever ever ever trust adults, because they will make you do things like eat broccoli. Best of Variety 'Harry Potter' TV Show Cast Guide: Who's Who in Hogwarts? 25 Hollywood Legends Who Deserve an Honorary Oscar New Movies Out Now in Theaters: What to See This Week
Express Tribune
20 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Express Tribune
Cat in the Hat set to return with three surprising new worlds in 2026
Warner Bros. Animation's upcoming Cat in the Hat movie, based on Dr. Seuss' beloved character, will take audiences on a journey through three distinct universes, as revealed by the creative team at the Annecy International Animation Film Festival. Co-director Alessandro Carloni shared that the film explores the "real world," the fantastical "Seuss world" where the iconic Cat originates, and a unique "boxes world." The latter features the family of Gabby and Sebastian, who have just moved into a new house. Their adventures begin when the Cat turns an old couch into a magical portal using the contents of their moving boxes, as explained by Carloni. 'Parents know that all the kids need is a couch and a bunch of boxes,' joked Erica Rivinoja, co-director and writer. Each character's box represents their personal world: Sebastian's box is ocean-themed, reflecting his desire to reconnect with his older sister, while Gabby's box delves into her nostalgic memories as a 'band nerd,' portraying the emotional complexity of her longing for her old life. Gabby's world is described by art director Amos Sussigan as "between playful chaos and existential dread," influenced by the visual language of Euphoria. Gabby's mother's box is filled with paperwork, representing her life as an overwhelmed nurse. Production designer Aidan Sugano emphasized the surreal nature of these landscapes, which explore the core identity of each character through imaginative, abstract designs, including a celestial galaxy to reflect her personality. The film's source material, Dr. Seuss' original work, heavily influenced the project's wacky, whimsical style. Carloni reflected on the Cat's persona, questioning whether he is simply a chaotic figure or, as the film suggests, a profound child psychologist who knows exactly how to bring joy to bored kids. The Cat's latest assignment, filled with familiar Seuss characters, will challenge him like never before. With vibrant use of color and inspiration from films like Soul and Feast, the team aims to bring a visually rich and emotionally connected experience to the screen. However, fans of Dr. Seuss' iconic character will have to wait a little longer for the magic to unfold on the big screen. The Cat in the Hat is now set for release in the United States on February 27, 2026.
Forbes
14-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Forbes
‘The Day The Earth Blew Up: A Looney Tunes Movie' New On Streaming This Week
The animated feature The Day the Earth Blew Up: A Looney Tunes Movie is premiering on digital streaming this week. Based on Warner Bros. Animation's famed Looney Tunes cartoons, The Day the Earth Blew Up: A Looney Tunes Movie is a 2D hand-drawn animated film and the first fully animated feature-length film in Warner Bros. Animation's Looney Tunes history. Directed by Pete Browngardt, The Day the Earth Blew Up: A Looney Tunes Movie debuted in theaters on March 14. The summary for the movie reads, 'Porky Pig and Daffy Duck (both voiced by Eric Bauza) venture to the big screen as unlikely heroes and Earth's only hope when their antics at the local bubble gum factory uncover a secret alien mind control plot. "Faced with cosmic odds, the two are determined to save their town (and the world!) ... that is if they don't drive each other totally looney in the process.' In addition to Bauza, The Day the Earth Blew Up: A Looney Tunes Movie stars the voices of Candy Milo as Petunia Pig, Peter MacNicol as The Invader, Laraine Newman as Mrs. Grecht and Wayne Knight as the Mayor. The Day the Earth Blew Up: A Looney Tunes Movie was produced by Warner Bros. Animation and distributed by Ketchup Entertainment. Prime Video has the release date for The Day the Earth Blew Up: A Looney Tunes Movie listed for Tuesday, April 15. In addition to Prime Video, the film will be available for purchase for $24.99 or rental for 48 hours on various digital platforms including Fandango at Home and AppleTV. In a March 14 interview with United Press International, Eric Bauza — who voices Porky Pig and Daffy Duck in The Day the Earth Blew Up: A Looney Tunes Movie — was confident that the film captured the essence of the Looney Tunes cartoons from the 1940s. "This one definitely leans into more of the Bob Clampett era of the Porky and Daffy shorts, right down to the look of just how they are designed," Bauza told UPI. Candy Milo — who voices Petunia Pig — said the reason the era was captured in the film was due to the passion director Pete Browngardt and the creatives at Warner Bros. Animation have for the Looney Tunes of that era. "There are people that get that '40s sensibility and Pete Browngardt is one of them," Milo told UPI. "We also have Sam Register at the helm at Warner Brothers [Animation] and he loves the 40s Looney Tunes." 'The Day the Earth Blew Up: A Looney Tunes Movie earned an 87% 'fresh' rating based on 94 reviews from Rotten Tomatoes critics, while audiences gave the film an 89% 'fresh' score on RT's Popcornmeter based on 500-plus verified user ratings. In theaters, The Day the Earth Blew Up: A Looney Tunes Movie has earned nearly $8.7 million domestically and $2.2 million internationally for a worldwide gross of $10.9 million. The film had a $15 million production budget before prints and advertising, per The Numbers. Rated PG, The Day the Earth Blew Up: A Looney Tunes Movie arrives on PVOD on Tuesday.
Boston Globe
12-03-2025
- Entertainment
- Boston Globe
Sufferin' succotash, it's a a Looney Tunes movie to love!
This movie is different. Director Peter Browngardt and his 11 (!) writers pay loving homage to Termite Terrace (the place on the WB lot where the original cartoons were drawn). There are several in-jokes that honor directors like Bob Clampett One of the earliest Looney Tunes characters, Beans the Cat, gets a shoutout as well. The filmmakers even mimic music director Carl Stalling's use of the Porky Pig and Daffy Duck in "The Day the Earth Blew Up: A Looney Tunes Movie." Warner Bros. Animation Advertisement Most importantly, 'The Day the Earth Blew Up' puts three Looney Tunes characters at the center of the story. They're the heroes, and their personalities are recognizable from all the old cartoon shorts they appeared in back in the day. The 2-D animation is also a welcome throwback. Fans of Bugs Bunny will be disappointed — he's nowhere to be found here. But his absence makes sense. Unlike the other Looney Tunes characters, Bugs exists on a higher plane of power. He's pretty much invincible (except when directed by Clampett), and easily bests his foes. In this story of an alien invasion taking over the Earth, Bugs would save the day without much effort. Instead, our heroes are the far more fallible Porky Pig and Daffy Duck (both expertly voiced by Eric Bauza) — Termite Terrace's first big breakout stars. In a prologue, they're discovered as orphans by a gigantic farmer named Farmer Jim, who looks like a hirsute advertisement billboard. He bequeaths his house to them, which they let slip into disrepair. Unfortunately, the duo forgot the upcoming inspection by the town's meanest property inspector, Mrs. Grecht ('Saturday Night Live' alum Laraine Newman), a blond woman whose shapely, R-rated body is poured into a PG-rated pink outfit. Making matters worse is that neither Porky nor Daffy has noticed the gigantic, slime-covered hole in their roof made by a meteor the night before. Advertisement Daffy Duck and Porky Pig in "The Day the Earth Blew Up: A Looney Tunes Movie." Warner Bros. Animation Given one week to make the necessary fixes to keep their home from being condemned, Porky and Daffy have to do something no Looney Tunes character has done before: get a job. They find one at a bubble-gum factory, where Porky falls for his usual girlfriend, Petunia Pig (Candi Milo). She's a scientist trying out new flavors of gum using some rather disgusting ingredients. The gum factory's newest flavor (actually, an old flavor with a new name, as Petunia angrily points out) is getting a rollout on the same day the alien who sent the aforementioned meteor plans to use it to control the populace. And no, it's not Marvin the Martian doing the takeover; it's The Invader, a creepy green menace voiced by Peter MacNicol in a nod to the sci-fi movies of the 1950s like 'The Day the Earth Stood Still.' Daffy catches on to the sinister bubble-gum alien plot early, but since he's a conspiracy theorist (and, as his theme song goes, he's also loony), nobody believes him initially. Once the possessed townspeople offer proof, it's up to Porky, Petunia, and Daffy to save the day. Daffy Duck in "The Day the Earth Blew Up: A Looney Tunes Movie." Warner Bros. Animation 'The Day the Earth Blew Up' keeps the dynamic between Porky and Daffy that appeared in such cartoons as Chuck Jones's 1953 space opera 'Duck Dodgers in the 24-1/2th Century' — Daffy's the loudmouth wannabe hero while Porky's the more level-headed (and smarter) sidekick. There's also a touch of the Porky-Sylvester the Cat cartoon pairings where a terrified 'fraidy cat' Sylvester notices something evil well before a disbelieving Porky does. Advertisement The fact that this film makes reference to such inside baseball-style details and touches shows how deeply it wants to impress Looney Tunes fans. And it's pretty funny, too, quick and loose like the old-school cartoons but with a feature-length plot. Come to think of it, there really hasn't been an original Looney Tunes movie. The ones from the 1970s and 1980s, like 'The Bugs Bunny/Road Runner Movie,' were compilations of the old cartoons stitched together by the barest of plots. And the other movies were mixes of live action and animation that didn't focus entirely on the characters. So, in a way, 'The Day the Earth Blew Up' is the first true example of these characters controlling their own original storyline on the big screen. This Looney Tunes mega-fan went in fearing the worst, and came out happy that I ★★★ THE DAY THE EARTH BLEW UP: A LOONEY TUNES MOVIE Directed by Peter Browngardt. Written by Browngardt, Alex Kirwan, Katie Rice, Darrick Bachman, Andrew Dickman, Eddie Trigueros, David Gemmill, Ryan Kramer, Johnny Ryan, Jason Reicher, Michael Ruocco. Starring Eric Bauza, Candi Milo, Peter MacNicol, Laraine Newman. At AMC Causeway 13, suburbs. 91 min. PG (cartoon violence — that's all, folks) Odie Henderson is the Boston Globe's film critic.
