Warner Bros. is making its position on Looney Tunes clear. Warner Bros. Pictures Animation president and chief creative officer Bill Damaschke hosted an open house at the Burbank studio lot. Warner Bros. Motion Picture Group co-chair and CEO Pam Abdy joined him there to deliver opening remarks. The event, held on May 12, put the studio’s theatrical animation ambitions front and center.
Abdy told the crowd, “We’re also thrilled to be unveiling at Annecy Daffy Season, a Looney Tunes theatrical short that reestablishes our commitment to bring Looney Tunes back to the big screen.” That statement carries real weight given the franchise’s rocky recent history at the studio.
Bugs Bunny, Porky Pig, and other Looney Tunes favorites were last seen on the big screen in 2021’s Space Jam: A New Legacy. That film starred LeBron James and pulled in $163 million globally. The studio’s John Cena-led Coyote vs. Acme had been scheduled to hit theaters in 2023. However, after the film was completed, Warner Bros. scrapped its release entirely.
Daffy Season will make its debut at the Annecy International Animation Film Festival next month. Directors Todd Wilderman and Hamish Grieve‘s short centers on Daffy Duck learning that Elmer Fudd is newly obsessed with soccer, timed ahead of the 2026 World Cup.
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Beyond the short, the broader slate is expanding fast. Damaschke introduced guests to a division now 250 employees strong, with seven films in active production: The Cat in the Hat, Bad Fairies, Margie Claus, Oh, the Places You’ll Go!, Dynamic Duo, Hello Kitty, and Lunar Chronicles.
Among the projects in active production is The Cat in the Hat, featuring Bill Hader in the titular role and set to hit theaters in November. Abdy noted it marks the animation studio’s first feature since its rebrand that began with Damaschke’s 2023 hiring.
A Speedy Gonzales film is also in the pipeline. An animated feature about the Looney Tunes staple is in the works at the studio from director Jorge R. Gutiérrez.
Damaschke made his own ambitions known at the event. In describing the slate that will see seven features hit the big screen in three years, Damaschke said, “Different looks, different styles, different tones — connected with what I hope will be heart, hope, humor and a scale that earns the big screen.” He also praised Abdy and fellow Warner Bros. film co-chief Mike De Luca for their commitment to his plan.
The open house was timed to take place in the lead-up to the studio’s presentation at next month’s Annecy International Animation Film Festival. Warner Bros. Pictures Animation said additional slate announcements are expected in the coming months.
