Historic Looney Tunes Shorts Removed From HBO Max on Looney Tunes Movie Opening Weekend

The news is devastating for animation fans: Warner Brothers has pulled its entire collection of classic Looney Tunes shorts from HBO Max. These shorts, spanning nearly 40 years (1930-1969), represent a golden age of animation and are foundational to Warner Brothers' success. Deadline reports the removal is part of a corporate strategy to prioritize adult and family programming, citing low viewership for children's content on the streaming service. This decision ignores the immense cultural significance of these cartoons. The cancellation of the HBO Max/Sesame Street deal in late 2024 further underscores this disregard for children's programming, despite Sesame Street's long-standing contribution to childhood education. While some recent Looney Tunes spin-offs remain, the core of the franchise is gone from HBO Max.

This move is particularly perplexing given the recent theatrical release of The Day the Earth Blew Up: A Looney Tunes Story on March 14th. Initially an HBO Max project, the film was sold to Ketchup Entertainment after the Warner Bros. Discovery merger. The film's modest box office performance (just over $3 million opening weekend in over 2,800 theaters) suggests a limited marketing budget. Considering the backlash against last year's unreleased Coyote Vs. Acme, it's possible greater awareness of The Day the Earth Blew Up's theatrical release could have improved its performance. Warner Brothers Discovery's decision to shelve Coyote Vs. Acme due to perceived high distribution costs drew significant criticism. In February, star Will Forte vehemently condemned the decision, calling it "f—king bulls—t" and expressing his anger at the inexplicable choice.