It has been nearly a year since Warner Bros. made the decision to shelve Coyote vs. Acme in favor of a tax write-off, and while fans are still hoping to get some positive news on that, there is another Looney Tunes movie Warner Bros. also tried to scrap now set to get a release date. The Day the Earth Blew Up: A Looney Tunes Movie follows Porky Pig and Daffy Duck as they uncover a conspiracy for aliens to take over the planet and team up with Petunia Pig to save the world. The film was initially developed by Max, but it was shelved in August 2022 following Warner Bros. Discovery’s restructuring, the same event that led to the cancelation of Batgirl, Scoob! Holiday Haunt and many other projects.
Warner Bros. Discovery gave the creators the option to shop the film to other streaming services, but now it looks like it will be getting a full theatrical release. As reported by Deadline, Ketchup Entertainment has acquired the North American theatrical distribution rights to The Day the Earth Blew Up: A Looney Tunes Movie, while GMF Animation has the worldwide distribution rights. The film has already premiered in Germany and Switzerland, but no release date has been set for the North American markets. Gareth West, CEO of Ketchup Entertainment, said following the deal:
“
The Day the Earth Blew Up
is a historical moment for the Looney Tunes franchise, and we are proud to be partnering with Warner Bros. Animation to bring this film to audiences theatrically. We cannot wait for audiences of all ages to experience one of the smartest animated films in recent years.”
Meanwhile, Fred Hedman of GFM Animation said:
“Gareth’s enthusiasm for Warner Bros. Animation’s spectacular Looney adventure persuaded us that Ketchup Entertainment was the right partner for releasing the film in North America. We’re looking forward to continuing to work with the team as they prepare for audiences to embrace Porky Pig and Daffy Duck on the big screen.”
Warner Bros. Discovery Don’t Seem to Know How to Handle Looney Tunes Anymore
During the COVID-19 pandemic, Warner Bros. seemed to be heavily invested in reviving the Looney Tunes brand. They not only had Space Jam: A New Legacy set for release, but also the live-action/animated hybrid comedy Coyote vs. Acme. At the same time, they had announced both The Day the Earth Blew Up: A Looney Tunes Movie and a musical Bye Bye Bunny intended for streaming release. Yet following the box office and critical disappointment of Space Jam: A New Legacy, Warner Bros. Discovery seemed to ax all their Looney Tunes plans.
Coyote vs. Acme was completed, and despite reportedly having great test screenings, Warner Bros. Discovery instead decided it would be better to cancel it and get a write-off. No progress has been made on Bye Bye Bunny, so the fact that The Day the Earth Blew Up: A Looney Tunes Movie not only found a buyer but is moving up from streaming to a theatrical release is a big deal.
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Looney Tunes first aired for children in the 1930s and 1940s, and yet, 80 years later, the cartoon is still popular among children.
Despite The Looney Tunes being one of Warner Bros.’s most iconic brands, it seems that they have been more than happy to pass off the key brand to an outside partner. This is also similar to how the new streaming series Batman: Caped Crusader was sold to Prime Video after Max scrapped their plans for it. Now Ketchup Entertainment, an independent production company founded in 2011, has one of Warner Bros.’s most famous IPs. The Day the Earth Blew Up: A Looney Tunes Movie joins Hellboy: The Crooked Man as a major acquisition by Ketchup Entertainment. The production company and distributor are collecting a series of wild card IP properties that others don’t seem to want or know what to do with.
The Day the Earth Blew Up: A Looney Tunes Movie premiered at the Annecy Animation Festival in France back in June 2024 to rave reviews from audiences in attendance. As the first full-length 2D animated Looney Tunes film to be released in theaters, expectations are high, and it has the potential to be a critical and financial hit for Ketchup Entertainment. There is a good chance this could be another Nimona situation, where the shutting down of Blue Sky Animation by Disney led to Netflix and Annapurna Animation picking it up and finishing the film. It went on to be a hit, and was nominated for Best Animated Feature Film at the Oscars, something that Disney’s own 100-year anniversary movie Wish failed to do.