HBO Max News #3: Looney New Toons Are Coming
The announcements weren’t all for grown-ups at the HBO Max presentation tonight. Several new cartoons targeting a young audience were revealed for the service. Several of them happen to star resurrected versions of classic WB and Hanna-Barbera characters. If we had to guess, we’d say this stuff was originally meant for the Boomerang channel / streaming service. Wonder what’s gonna happen to that.
The most ambitious of these is Jellystone, a revival of the old H-B universe by CH Greenblatt, creator of Chowder. Characters from all over the Hanna-Barbera library will be smashed together for the first time since 70s shows like Laff-A-Lympics aired.
Jellystone, a new, animated children’s comedy series from Warner Bros. Animation welcomes you to the town of Jellystone – a charming place where your favorite Hanna-Barbera characters live, work and play together…but, at the same time, can’t help but stir up trouble for one another. The animated series will include classic characters such as Yogi Bear, Boo-Boo, Augie Doggie, Doggie Daddy, Ruff, Yakky Doodle, Shag Rugg, Jabberjaw, El Kabong, Top Cat, Captain Caveman, Cindy Bear, Mildew Wolf, Pixie and Dixie and Mr. Jinks, Peter Potamus, Snagglepuss, Magilla Gorilla and more. The series is executive produced by C.H. Greenblatt (Chowder) and Sam Register.
But there’s also Looney Tunes Cartoons, which is what it says on the tin — eighty new eleven-minute shorts starring Bugs, Daffy, Porky and the others. There have been many, many, MANY attempts to recapture the Termite Terrace magic and all have failed, but this one at least SOUNDS like the right approach:
Looney Tunes Cartoons, an all-new series from Warner Bros. Animation starring the cherished Looney Tunes characters. Looney Tunes Cartoons echoes the high production value and process of the original Looney Tunes theatrical shorts with a cartoonist-driven approach to storytelling. Marquee Looney Tunes characters will be featured in their classic pairings in simple, gag-driven and visually vibrant stories. The new series will include 80 eleven-minute episodes, each comprised of animated shorts that vary in length and include adapted storylines for today’s audience. Fans can also look forward to holiday-themed specials. Looney Tunes Cartoons is produced by Warner Bros. Animation and features a talented group of voice cast members including Eric Bauza, Jeff Bergman and Bob Bergen. Pete Browngardt (Uncle Grandpa) and Sam Register serve as executive producers.
But if it doesn’t work, we’re at least getting many, many classic Looney Tunes shorts on HBO Max as well (probably the stuff that’s on Boomerang already.) So that’s good.
HBO Max launches May 20 at a price of $14.99 a month.