Warner Brothers has made a shocking move by pulling its entire catalog of original Looney Tunes shorts from HBO Max, leaving fans devastated. These iconic shorts, which ran from 1930 to 1969, represent a golden age of animation and have been instrumental in building the Warner Brothers brand. The removal aligns with the company's strategy to focus on adult and family programming, sidelining children's content despite its cultural significance. This decision follows the cancellation of HBO's deal with Sesame Street at the end of 2024, another cornerstone of children's education since 1969. While some newer Looney Tunes spinoffs remain available, the essence of the franchise has been lost.
This development is particularly jarring as it coincides with the theatrical release of "The Day the Earth Blew Up: A Looney Tunes Story" on March 14. Originally commissioned by Max, the film was sold to Ketchup Entertainment after the Warner Brothers and Discovery merger. With a limited marketing budget, the movie has only managed to earn slightly over $3 million in its opening weekend across 2,800 theaters nationwide.
The timing is especially poignant given the backlash from last year's decision not to release "Coyote Vs. Acme," another completed Looney Tunes film, due to distribution costs. This move sparked outrage among fans and artists, with actor Will Forte publicly denouncing it as "f—king bulls—t" and expressing his frustration over the inexplicable choice not to share the film with audiences.
