Warner Bros. Animation

{{Short description|Main animation studio owned by Warner Bros.}} {{About|the studio founded in 1980|its predecessor|Warner Bros. Cartoons|the feature theatrical film animation division of Warner Bros. since 2013|Warner Bros. Pictures Animation}} {{Pp|small=yes}} {{Use mdy dates|date=March 2026}} {{Use American English|date=March 2026}} {{Infobox company | name = Warner Bros. Animation Inc. | type = Division | logo = Warner_Bros._Animation_2010_Logo.svg | logo_class = logo-nobg | logo_size = 120px | logo_caption = Logo used since 2010 | predecessors = {{ubl|Warner Bros. Cartoons (1933–1969)|Hanna-Barbera (1957–2001)}} | foundation = {{Start date and age|March 15, 1980}}<ref name="NewStudio">{{cite book |last=Maltin |first=Leonard |title=Of Mice and Magic |location=New York |publisher=Plume |orig-year=1980 |year=1987 |page=273 |isbn=978-0-45-225993-5}}</ref> | founder = Hal Geer | location = 15301 Ventura Blvd, Sherman Oaks, Los Angeles, California, U.S. {{small|(1989–2007)}} 411 North Hollywood Way, Burbank, California, U.S. {{small|(2007–2023)}} 100 South California Street, Burbank, California, U.S. {{small|(2023–present)}} | key_people = {{plainlist| * Sam Register (president, Warner Bros. Animation, Cartoon Network Studios, and Hanna-Barbera Studios Europe) * Jason DeMarco (SVP, action/anime) * Peter Girardi (EVP, alternative programming) }} | products = {{ubl|Television series|Feature films|Short films|Specials}} | owner = | parent = {{ubl|Warner Bros. Entertainment (1980–2019)|Warner Bros. Global Kids, Young Adults and Classics (2019–2022)|Warner Bros. Television Group (2022–present)}} | divisions = Cartoon Network Studios | num_employees = | industry = {{ubl|Animation}} | website = {{URL|warnerbrospicturesanimation.com}} }}

'''Warner Bros. Animation Inc.'''<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://businesssearch.sos.ca.gov/Document/RetrievePDF?Id=02500359-32190838|title=C2500359 - WARNER BROS. ANIMATION INC. {{!}} Statement of Information|website=California Secretary of State|date=January 18, 2022|access-date=March 31, 2022|archive-date=March 31, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220331171154/https://businesssearch.sos.ca.gov/Document/RetrievePDF?Id=02500359-32190838|url-status=dead}}</ref> (abbreviated as '''WBA''') is an American animation studio and the main animation division and label of Warner Bros. owned by its Television Group division, the flagship television arm of Warner Bros. Discovery. It was established on March 15, 1980.

As the successor to Warner Bros. Cartoons, which was active from 1933 to 1969, the studio is closely associated with the ''Looney Tunes'' and ''Merrie Melodies'' characters, among others. Warner Bros. re-established its animation division in 1980 to produce ''Looney Tunes''–related works. Turner Broadcasting System merged with WBD predecessor Time Warner in 1996.<ref name="NewStudio" /> and Turner's acquired studio, Hanna-Barbera, was absorbed into this studio in March 2001.

In recent years, Warner Bros. Animation has specialized in producing television and direct-to-video animation featuring characters from other properties owned by Warner Bros. Discovery, including Turner Entertainment Co. (which owns the rights to properties originally created by the MGM cartoon studio), Hanna-Barbera, Ruby-Spears and DC Entertainment.

== History == === 1970–1986: Restarting the studio === The original Warner Bros. Cartoons studio, as well as all of Warner Bros.'s short subject production divisions, closed its doors on October 10, 1969, due to the rising costs and declining returns of short subject production. Outside animation companies were hired to produce new ''Looney Tunes''-related animation for TV specials and commercials at irregular intervals. In 1975, Warner Bros. Cartoons alumnus Chuck Jones began producing a series of ''Looney Tunes'' specials at his Chuck Jones Productions animation studio, the first of which was ''Carnival of the Animals''. These specials, and a 1975 ''Looney Tunes'' retrospective feature film titled ''Bugs Bunny: Superstar'' (distributed by United Artists, the previous owner of the pre-1950 Warner Bros. library), led Jones to produce ''The Bugs Bunny/Road Runner Movie'' for Warner Bros. Pictures in 1979. This film blended classic ''Looney Tunes''/''Merrie Melodies'' shorts with newly produced wraparounds of Bugs Bunny introducing each cartoon. Warner Bros. responded to the success of this film by reestablishing its own cartoon studio.

Warner Bros. Animation opened its doors on March 15, 1980, to produce compilation films and television specials starring the ''Looney Tunes'' characters. The studio's initial head was Hal Geer, who had been the original studio's sound effects editor during its final days, and he was soon joined by Friz Freleng, who left DePatie–Freleng (which became Marvel Productions after being sold to Marvel Comics), and returned to Warner as executive producer. The new wraparounds for ''The Looney Looney Looney Bugs Bunny Movie'' (1981), ''Bugs Bunny's 3rd Movie: 1001 Rabbit Tales'' (1982) and ''Daffy Duck's Fantastic Island'' (1983) featured footage by a new Warner Bros. Animation staff, composed mainly of veterans from the golden age of WB cartoons, including writers John Dunn and Dave Detiege.

By 1986, Freleng had departed, and Hal Geer also stepped down the following year. Geer was briefly replaced by Steven S. Greene, who in turn was replaced by Freleng's former secretary Kathleen Helppie-Shipley, who would spearhead a major revival of the ''Looney Tunes'' brand in the years that followed. The studio continued production on special projects starring the ''Looney Tunes'' characters, sporadically producing new ''Looney Tunes''/''Merrie Melodies'' shorts for theaters such as ''The Duxorcist'' (1987), ''Night of the Living Duck'' (1988), ''Box-Office Bunny'' (1990), and ''Carrotblanca'' (1995). Many of these shorts, as well as the new footage in the compilation film ''Daffy Duck's Quackbusters'' (which includes ''The Duxorcist''), were directed by Greg Ford and Terry Lennon, as well as Darrell Van Citters.

=== 1986–1996: Moving into television animation === {{Infobox company | name = Warner Bros. Television Animation | logo = Warner Bros. Animation 2010 Logo.svg | logo_size = 150px | logo_caption = | type = Label | industry = Television animation Television production | fate = Reverted back to Warner Bros. Animation | predecessor =  | successor = Warner Bros. Animation | founded = {{Start date and age|1986}} in Burbank, California | defunct = {{Start date and age|2003}} | area_served = Worldwide | key_people = | products = | owner =  | num_employees = | num_employees_year =  | parent = Warner Bros. | website =  }}

Beginning in 1986, Warner Bros. moved into regular television animation production. Warners' television division was established by WB Animation President Jean MacCurdy, who brought in producer Tom Ruegger and much of his staff from Hanna-Barbera Productions' ''A Pup Named Scooby-Doo'' series (1988–1991). A studio for the television unit was set up in the office tower of the Imperial Bank Building adjacent to the Sherman Oaks Galleria northwest of Los Angeles. Darrell Van Citters, who used to work at Disney, would work at Warner Bros. on the newer Bugs Bunny shorts, before leaving to form Renegade Animation in 1992. The first Warner Bros. original animated TV series ''Tiny Toon Adventures'' (1990–1995) was produced in conjunction with Amblin Entertainment, and featured young cartoon characters based upon specific ''Looney Tunes'' stars, and was a success. Later Amblin/Warner Bros. television shows, including ''Animaniacs'' (1993–1998), its spin-off ''Pinky and the Brain'' (1995–1998), and ''Freakazoid!'' (1995–1997) followed in continuing the ''Looney Tunes'' tradition of cartoon humor.

Warner Bros. Animation also began developing shows based upon comic book characters owned by sister company DC Comics. These programs, including ''Batman: The Animated Series'' (1992–1995), ''Superman: The Animated Series'' (1996–2000), ''The New Batman Adventures'' (1997–1999), ''Batman Beyond'' (1999–2001), and ''Justice League/Justice League Unlimited'' (2001–2006) proved popular among both children and adults. These shows were part of the DC animated universe. A ''Batman'' spin-off feature, ''Mask of the Phantasm'', was produced in 1993 and bumped up to theatrical release. The film was near universally-well received by critics but performed poorly at the box-office, though it eventually became a commercial success through its subsequent home video releases. In 2003, Warner Bros. Television Animation was folded and was subsequently merged with Warner Bros. Animation.

The group was regrouped into three units, Warner Bros. Classic Animation led by Katherine Helppie-Shipley,<ref>{{Cite web |title=Letters to the Editor |url=https://www.awn.com/mag/issue1.12/articles/news1.12.html |access-date=2025-10-24 |website=www.awn.com}}</ref> Warner Bros. Television Animation and Warner Bros. Feature Animation, as well as an outsourcing deal Warner Bros. Animation's group had with Chuck Jones Film Productions, an independent production company led by ex-Warner Bros. animator Chuck Jones, founded in 1993, and the company was dissolved in 1996.<ref>{{Cite news |date=1994-12-15 |title=Two Rivals And Acme Are Back In Business (Published 1994) |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1994/12/15/movies/two-rivals-and-acme-are-back-in-business.html |access-date=2025-10-24 |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Happy Birthday, Chuck Jones! |url=https://www.awn.com/mag/issue2.7/2.7pages/2.7jacksonjones.html |access-date=2025-10-24 |website=www.awn.com}}</ref>

==== 1990–2004: Warner Bros. Feature Animation ==== {{Infobox company | name = Warner Bros. Feature Animation | logo = Warner Bros. Feature Animation logo.png | logo_caption = | logo_size = 150px | type = Division | industry = Feature animation | predecessor = Turner Feature Animation | fate = Folded into Warner Bros. Animation | successor = Warner Bros. Pictures Animation | founded = {{Start date and age|1994}} in Burbank, California | founder = | defunct = {{Start date and age|2004}} | area_served = Worldwide | key_people = | products = | owner =  | num_employees = | num_employees_year =  | parent = Warner Bros. | website =  }}

During the rise of the animation renaissance in the early 1990s, Warner Bros. distributed its first animated films: ''The Nutcracker Prince''<ref name="latimes 1997">{{Cite news|last=Horn|first=John|date=1997-06-01|title=Can Anyone Dethrone Disney?|url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1997-06-01-ca-64365-story.html|access-date=2020-10-17|work=Los Angeles Times|language=en-US|archive-date=March 11, 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230311144817/https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1997-06-01-ca-64365-story.html|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|last=Broeske|first=Pat H.|date=1990-09-30|title=Eh, What's Up, Doc?|url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1990-09-30-ca-2092-story.html|access-date=2020-10-17|work=Los Angeles Times|language=en-US|archive-date=July 11, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200711114904/https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1990-09-30-ca-2092-story.html|url-status=live}}</ref> in 1990, which is a Canadian-produced feature film based on E. T. A. Hoffmann's classic holiday tale ''The Nutcracker and the Mouse King''; and ''Rover Dangerfield''<ref>{{Cite news|last=Solomon|first=Charles|date=1990-08-19|title=The New Toon Boom|url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1990-08-19-ca-3048-story.html|access-date=2020-10-17|work=Los Angeles Times|language=en-US|archive-date=July 12, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200712002951/https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1990-08-19-ca-3048-story.html|url-status=live}}</ref> in 1991, whose title character is a dog whose look and mannerisms are inspired by his voice actor Rodney Dangerfield. Both films received negative reviews and under-performed at the box office due to lack of promotion.<ref name="latimes 1997"/><ref>{{Cite web|title=The Nutcracker Prince|url=https://ew.com/article/1990/12/07/nutcracker-prince/|access-date=2020-10-17|website=EW.com|language=EN|archive-date=July 17, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200717032659/https://ew.com/article/1990/12/07/nutcracker-prince/|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|date=1990-11-21|title=MOVIE REVIEW : Animated 'Nutcracker' Stumbles Badly|url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1990-11-21-ca-4466-story.html|access-date=2020-10-17|work=Los Angeles Times|language=en-US|archive-date=July 9, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200709180702/https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1990-11-21-ca-4466-story.html|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|date=1991-09-22|title=A look inside Hollywood and the movies. : DOG DAZE : Why (Woof) Can't (woof) I (woof) Get (woof) Any (woof) Respect (woof) ?|url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1991-09-22-ca-3857-story.html|access-date=2020-10-17|work=Los Angeles Times|language=en-US|archive-date=July 9, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200709184920/https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1991-09-22-ca-3857-story.html|url-status=live}}</ref> Three years later after the release of ''Rover Dangerfield'', Warner distributed Don Bluth's ''Thumbelina'', which also received mixed reviews from critics and under-performed at the box office.<ref name="latimes 1997"/>

That same year, Warner Bros., as well as several other Hollywood studios, moved into feature animation following the success of Walt Disney Feature Animation's ''The Lion King''. Max Howard, a Disney alumnus, was brought in to head the new division, which was set up in Sherman Oaks near the television studio in nearby Glendale.<ref>Kenyon, Heather (April 1998) "[https://www.awn.com/mag/issue3.1/3.1pages/3.1kenyonhoward.html An Afternoon with Max Howard, President, '''Warner Bros. Feature Animation'''] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210620163710/https://www.awn.com/mag/issue3.1/3.1pages/3.1kenyonhoward.html |date=June 20, 2021 }}". ''Animation World Network''. Retrieved June 16, 2007.</ref>

The first of Warner's animated features was ''Space Jam'' (1996), a live-action/animated hybrid which starred NBA star Michael Jordan and Bugs Bunny (Jordan had previously appeared with the Looney Tunes in a number of Nike commercials). The film featured live-action sequences directed by Joe Pytka and animated sequences directed by Bruce W. Smith and Tony Cervone. ''Space Jam'' received mixed reviews from critics but proved to be a success at the box office. Animation production for ''Space Jam'' was primarily done at the new Sherman Oaks studio, although much of the work was outsourced to animation studios around the world.

Two years later, its second film, Frederik Du Chau's ''Quest for Camelot'' (1998), underwent production difficulties and also received mixed reviews from critics. However, its soundtrack (such as one of the songs, "The Prayer") received some praise and accolades, including an Oscar nomination and a Golden Globe win.

The third animated feature from Warner Bros. Feature Animation, Brad Bird's ''The Iron Giant'' (1999), received widespread acclaim from critics and audiences. However, the studio decided to rush its release to the end of the summer with a rushed marketing push, resulting it flopping at the box office.{{Citation needed|date=February 2016}}

The studio's next and fourth film, ''Osmosis Jones'' (2001), was another animated/live-action mix that suffered through another troubled production. This time, the animation sequences, directed by Piet Kroon and Tom Sito, were completed long before the live-action parts were filmed, eventually directed by Bobby and Peter Farrelly and starring Bill Murray. The resulting film received mixed reviews and underperformed, although it was successful enough on home video for Warner's Television Animation department to produce a related Saturday morning cartoon, ''Ozzy & Drix'' (2002–2004) for its WB broadcast network.

Following the releases of ''The Iron Giant'' and ''Osmosis Jones'', the feature animation staff was scaled back, and the entire animation staff – feature and television – were moved to the larger Sherman Oaks facility.

Warner Bros. Feature Animation's fifth and final project, ''Looney Tunes: Back in Action'' was released in 2003. It was intended to be the starting point for a reestablishment of the classic cartoons brands, including a planned series of new ''Looney Tunes'' theatrical shorts, produced by ''Back in Action'' writer and producer Larry Doyle.{{Citation needed|date=September 2009}} After ''Back in Action'', directed by Joe Dante (live-action) and Eric Goldberg (animation), received mixed reviews from critics and under-performed at the box office, production was shut down on the new shorts, and, in 2004, Warner Bros. Feature Animation was folded into Warner Bros. Animation, and ''Looney Tunes'' has been mostly relegated on television until 2021's ''Space Jam: A New Legacy''.

{{Unreferenced section|date=March 2022|reason=budget and box office figures should be properly referenced}} {| class="sortable wikitable" style="text-align:center;" |+Filmography ! rowspan="2" style="width:200px;" | Title ! rowspan="2" width="120" | Release date ! rowspan="2" | Director(s) ! colspan="2" | Writer(s) ! rowspan="2" | Producer(s) ! rowspan="2" | Co-production with ! rowspan="2" | Animation services ! rowspan="2" width="80" | Budget ! rowspan="2" width="50" | Gross |- !Story !Screenplay |- | align="left" | ''Space Jam''{{ref label|LiveAction|S}} | {{dts|November 15, 1996}} | '''Live Action:''' Joe Pytka '''Animation:''' Bruce W. Smith Tony Cervone | colspan="2" | Leo Benvenuti Steve Rudnick Timothy Harris Herschel Weingrod | Joe Medjuck Daniel Goldberg Ivan Reitman | Warner Bros. Family Entertainment Northern Lights Entertainment | Main facility Bardel Entertainment Stardust Pictures Heart of Texas Productions Character Builders Chuck Gammage Animation Premier Films Ltd. Rees / Leiva Productions Spaff Animation Uli Meyer Features | $80 million | $250.2 million |- | align="left" | ''Quest for Camelot'' | {{dts|May 15, 1998}} | Frederik Du Chau | colspan="2" | Kirk DeMicco William Schifrin Jacqueline Feather David Seidler | Dalisa Cohen | Warner Bros. Family Entertainment | California and London WBFA facility Yowza! Animation A. Film A/S Heart of Texas Productions | $40 million | $38.1 million |- | align="left" | ''The Iron Giant'' | {{dts|August 6, 1999}} | colspan="2" | Brad Bird | Tim McCanlies | Allison Abbate Des McAnuff | {{N/A}} | Main faculties A. Film A/S (uncredited) Duncan Studios (''Signature Edition'') | $70–80 million | $31.3 million |- | align="left" | ''Osmosis Jones''{{ref label|LiveAction|S}} | {{dts|August 10, 2001}} | '''Live-action:''' Bobby Farrelly Peter Farrelly '''Animation:''' Piet Kroon Tom Sito | colspan="2" | Marc Hyman | Dennis Edwards Bobby Farrelly Peter Farrelly Zak Penn Bradley Thomas | Conundrum Entertainment | Main faculties A. Film A/S (uncredited) Yowza! Animation | $70 million | $14 million |- | align="left" | ''Looney Tunes: Back in Action''{{ref label|LiveAction|S}} | {{dts|November 14, 2003}} | '''Live-action:''' Joe Dante '''Animation:''' Eric Goldberg | colspan="2" | Larry Doyle | Paula Weinstein Bernie Goldman | Baltimore Spring Creek Productions Goldmann Pictures Lonely Film Productions GmbH & Co. KG | Main faculties Yowza! Animation Mercury Filmworks | $80 million | $68.5 million |} : {{note label|LiveAction|S}}Combines live-action with animation.

=== 1996–2019: Acquisitions of libraries === Warner Bros.' parent company Time Warner merged with Turner Broadcasting System in 1996, not only regaining the rights to the previously sold ''Looney Tunes'' and ''Merrie Melodies'' shorts but also taking on two more animation studios: Turner Feature Animation and Hanna-Barbera Productions. Turner Feature was immediately folded into Warner Bros. Feature Animation, while Hanna-Barbera merged with Warner Bros. Animation itself. Until 1998, Hanna-Barbera operated on its original lot at 3400 Cahuenga Boulevard in Hollywood, California, one of the last "big name" studios with a Hollywood zip code. Studio operations, archives, and its extensive animation art collection were then moved northwest to Sherman Oaks. Hanna-Barbera occupied space in the office tower adjacent to the Sherman Oaks Galleria along with Warner Bros. Animation.

Following the death of William Hanna in 2001, Warner Bros. fully took over production of Hanna-Barbera related properties such as ''Scooby-Doo'', producing a steady stream of ''Scooby'' direct-to-video films and two new series, ''What's New, Scooby-Doo?'' (2002–2006) and ''Shaggy & Scooby-Doo Get a Clue!'' (2006–2008). The Turner merger also gave Warner Bros. access to the pre-May 1986 Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer library, which included its classic cartoon library (including such characters as Tom and Jerry (originally created by the H-B duo), Droopy, Barney Bear, Screwy Squirrel, and George and Junior). WBA has since co-produced a series of direct-to-video films with Turner which starred Tom and Jerry. Besides producing content for the daytime market, Warner Bros. Animation also produced ''Baby Blues'' with sister company Warner Bros. Television and ''3-South'' with MTV Animation for primetime.

The series which Hanna-Barbera had been producing for Turner's Cartoon Network before and during the Time Warner/Turner merger were shifted to production at Cartoon Network Studios, a sister company to Warner Bros. Animation. WBA is today exclusively involved in the production of animated television programming and direct-to-video features. It produced many of the shows airing on the Kids' WB Saturday morning programming block of The CW until May 24, 2008. These programs included ''Shaggy & Scooby-Doo Get a Clue!'', ''Krypto the Superdog'', ''Xiaolin Showdown'', ''The Batman'', ''Loonatics Unleashed'', and ''Tom and Jerry Tales''. By 2007, the studio had downsized significantly from its size during the late 1990s. Warner Bros. downsized the studio further in June, shut down the Sherman Oaks studio, and had Warner Bros. Animation moved to the Warner Bros. Ranch in Burbank, California. In early 2008 after the demise of Kids' WB!, Warner Bros. Animation became almost dormant with only ''Batman: The Brave and the Bold'' in production at the time.

To expand the company's online content presence, Warner Bros. Animation launched the new KidsWB.com (announced as T-Works) on April 28, 2008. The website gathers its core animation properties in a single online environment that is interactive and customizable for site visitors. The Kids' WB website offers both originally produced content along with classic animated episodes, games, and exploration of virtual worlds. Some of the characters to be used in the project from the Warner libraries include those of Looney Tunes, Hanna-Barbera, pre-1986 MGM animated characters and DC Comics.

In 2009, sister network Cartoon Network announced ''Scooby-Doo! Mystery Incorporated'' in the Fall 2009–2010 season by Warner Bros. Animation.{{Citation needed|date=December 2010}} Warner Bros. Animation recently announced several new projects, such as ''The Looney Tunes Show'' (formerly called ''Laff Riot''); a reboot of ''ThunderCats'', and several series based on DC Comics properties such as ''MAD'', ''Green Lantern'', and ''Young Justice''.{{Citation needed|date=December 2010}}

Warner Bros. Animation also produced ''DC Showcase'', a series of short subjects featuring lesser-known comic book superheroes, released in tandem with direct-to-video films based on DC Comics properties.

On July 30, 2010, ''Coyote Falls'', a 3D cartoon featuring Wile E. Coyote and the Road Runner was released, being the first time WB Animation produced theatrically released content since ''The Karate Guard'' (the last Tom and Jerry short) in 2005, and the first time the animation studio used full CGI and stereoscopic 3D. Two more theatrical Wile E./Road Runner cartoons followed during the year (''Fur of Flying'' and ''Rabid Rider''). On June 8, 2011, three more shorts were announced: ''I Tawt I Taw a Puddy Tat'' with Sylvester, Tweety, and Granny, which was released with ''Happy Feet Two''; ''Daffy's Rhapsody'' with Daffy Duck and Elmer Fudd, which was released with ''Journey 2: The Mysterious Island''; and ''Flash in the Pain'' starring Wile E. Coyote and the Road Runner. All of these 6 shorts, directed by Matthew O'Callaghan and produced by Reel FX Creative Studios are available on the official Warner Bros. Animation YouTube channel.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCemh1lKxhvFkDrhUxEAYe-w|title=Warner Bros. Animation|via=YouTube|language=en|access-date=2019-05-08|archive-date=May 29, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190529044832/https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCemh1lKxhvFkDrhUxEAYe-w|url-status=live}}</ref>

On October 27, 2014, Warner Bros. Animation collaborated with sister studio Williams Street for the first time for its first production for Adult Swim, ''Mike Tyson Mysteries'', which satirizes the style and conventions of cartoons from the 1970s (such as ''Scooby-Doo'') and celebrity-driven series such as ''Mister T''.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Lowry |first=Brian |date=2014-10-24 |title=TV Review: Adult Swim's 'Mike Tyson Mysteries' |url=https://variety.com/2014/tv/reviews/tv-review-adult-swims-mike-tyson-mysteries-1201335534/ |access-date=2022-10-12 |website=Variety |language=en-US |archive-date=October 12, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221012200942/https://variety.com/2014/tv/reviews/tv-review-adult-swims-mike-tyson-mysteries-1201335534/ |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Keene |first=Allison |date=2014-10-22 |title='Mike Tyson Mysteries': TV Review |url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/tv/tv-reviews/mike-tyson-mysteries-tv-review-742896/ |access-date=2022-10-12 |website=The Hollywood Reporter |language=en-US |archive-date=October 12, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221012200936/https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/tv/tv-reviews/mike-tyson-mysteries-tv-review-742896/ |url-status=live }}</ref> Warner Bros. Animation also produced ''Elf: Buddy's Musical Christmas''—a stop-motion animated adaptation of the New Line Cinema film ''Elf'' and its musical adaptation—as a Christmas special for NBC, starring Jim Parsons.<ref>{{cite web |title='Elf: Buddy's Musical Christmas' TV Review on NBC |url=https://variety.com/2014/tv/reviews/tv-review-elf-buddys-musical-christmas-1201376770/ |access-date=17 December 2014 |work=Variety |date=December 15, 2014 |archive-date=October 12, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221012200936/https://variety.com/2014/tv/reviews/tv-review-elf-buddys-musical-christmas-1201376770/ |url-status=live }}</ref>

=== 2019–present: Reconstruction with animation === On June 11, 2018, a new series of shorts, ''Looney Tunes Cartoons'', was announced by Warner Bros. Animation. Its first "season" would feature 1,000 minutes (or 16 hours and 40 minutes) of new one-to-six minute cartoons featuring the brand's marquee characters, voiced by their current voice actors in "simple, gag-driven and visually vibrant stories" that are rendered by multiple artists employing "a visual style that will resonate with fans." Sam Register, president of Warner Bros. Animation, and Peter Browngardt, creator of ''Secret Mountain Fort Awesome'' and ''Uncle Grandpa'', would serve as executive producers.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://deadline.com/2018/06/looney-tunes-short-form-revival-warner-bros-animation-1202407762/|title='Looney Tunes' Getting Short-Form Revival At WB Animation|website=Deadline Hollywood|author=Patrick Hipes|date=June 11, 2018|access-date=June 15, 2018|archive-date=June 12, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180612143433/https://deadline.com/2018/06/looney-tunes-short-form-revival-warner-bros-animation-1202407762/|url-status=live}}</ref> The series made its worldwide debut at the Annecy International Animation Film Festival on June 10, 2019,<ref>{{cite web|title=Annecy > News|url=https://www.annecy.org/news:a2481|website=Annecy.org|access-date=April 17, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220620110956/https://www.annecy.org/news:a2481|archive-date=June 20, 2022}}</ref> and premiered as part of HBO Max's launch library on May 27, 2020.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.animationscoop.com/warner-bros-looney-tune-curse-of-the-monkey-bird-begins-qualifying-theatrical-engagement/|title=Warner Bros. Looney Tune "Curse Of The Monkey Bird" Begins Qualifying Theatrical Engagement|date=September 13, 2019|website=Animation Scoop|access-date=September 13, 2019}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |last=Porter |first=Rick |title='Looney Tunes' Update, Hanna-Barbera Series Set at HBO Max |url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/live-feed/looney-tunes-update-hanna-barbera-series-set-at-hbo-max-1250825 |website=The Hollywood Reporter|date=October 29, 2019}}</ref>

In August 2021, it was announced that Jason DeMarco had been named SVP Anime & Action Series/Longform for Warner Bros. Animation and Cartoon Network Studios.<ref>{{cite web|title=Jason DeMarco Named SVP Anime & Action Series/Longform For Warner Bros Animation & Cartoon Network Studios|url=https://deadline.com/2021/08/jason-demarco-named-svp-anime-action-series-longform-for-warner-bros-animation-cartoon-network-studios-1234812006/|website=Deadline Hollywood|first=Erik|last=Pedersen|date=August 10, 2021|access-date=August 10, 2021|archive-date=August 10, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210810173731/https://deadline.com/2021/08/jason-demarco-named-svp-anime-action-series-longform-for-warner-bros-animation-cartoon-network-studios-1234812006/|url-status=live}}</ref>

On May 11, 2022, Warner Bros. Animation was moved under Warner Bros. Television after the dissolution of the Warner Bros. Global Kids, Young Adults and Classics division by new owner Warner Bros. Discovery.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Andreeva |first=Nellie |date=2022-05-12 |title=Tom Ascheim Exits As President Of Warner Bros. Global Kids, Young Adults and Classic |url=https://deadline.com/2022/05/tom-ascheim-exits-warner-bros-president-global-kids-young-adults-and-classics-1235021790/ |access-date=2022-05-12 |website=Deadline |language=en-US |archive-date=May 12, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220512000441/https://deadline.com/2022/05/tom-ascheim-exits-warner-bros-president-global-kids-young-adults-and-classics-1235021790/ |url-status=live }}</ref>

On October 11, 2022, Warner Bros. Animation merged its development and production teams with Cartoon Network Studios as part of a further restructuring by Warner Bros. Discovery; the merger would not affect the studios' output or branding.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://variety.com/2022/tv/news/warner-bros-tv-group-layoffs-82-staffers-channing-dungey-1235400286/ | title=Warner Bros. TV Group Lays off 82 Staffers, Consolidates Some Unscripted and Animation Departments in Belt-Tightening Restructure | date=October 12, 2022 | access-date=October 12, 2022 | archive-date=October 12, 2022 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221012015955/https://variety.com/2022/tv/news/warner-bros-tv-group-layoffs-82-staffers-channing-dungey-1235400286/ | url-status=live }}</ref>

In July 2023, Warner Bros. Animation moved from the Warner Bros. Ranch to the new Warner Bros. Second Century building.<ref>{{Cite tweet |user=RegularCapital |date=July 21, 2023 |title=The same for Cartoon Network Studios, Warner Bros. Animation staff left the Warner Bros. Ranch to move to the new combined studio. |number=1682507658262192129 |access-date=May 25, 2025 |language=en-US}}</ref>

== Filmography ==

== References == {{reflist|30em}}

== Bibliography == * {{cite book |last=Jones |first=Chuck |title=Chuck Amuck: The Life and Times of an Animated Cartoonist |location=New York |publisher=Farrar, Straus and Giroux |year=1990 |isbn=978-0-374-12348-2}} * {{cite book |last=Maltin |first=Leonard |title=Of Mice and Magic |location=New York |publisher=Plume |orig-year=1980 |year=1987 |page=273 |isbn=978-0-45-225993-5}}

== External links == * {{Commons category-inline|Warner Bros. Animation}}

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