The Looney Tunes have returned to cinemas with the release of The Day the Earth Blew Up: A Looney Tunes Movie. This wacky animated film centers around the unlikely duo of Porky Pig and Daffy Duck as they try to save the Earth from an invasion by mind-controlling aliens. With a 92% rating from critics on Rotten Tomatoes, this animated extravaganza is gearing up to be The Looney Tunes’ best movie yet.
It may not seem like it, but 2024’s The Day the Earth Blew Up is a record-setting picture in the franchise’s history. In a bit of irony, The Day the Earth Blew Up is actually the Looney Tunes’ first fully animated theatrical film. Though initial plans nearly got in the way of this achievement, audiences will finally be able to see Daffy and Porky’s ground-breaking adventure together on the big screen.
The Day The Earth Blew Up Is The First Fully Animated Looney Tunes Movie To Ever Get A Theatrical Release
Theaters Will Finally Present A Fully-Animated Looney Tunes Feature
As one of the most popular animated franchises in history, The Looney Tunes has made multiple movies that have premiered in theaters, specifically Space Jam, Looney Tunes: Back in Action, and Space Jam: A New Legacy, in that order. However, all these feature-length films were live-action/animation hybrids that allowed Bugs Bunny and his pals to interact with characters in the “real” world. Even the unreleased Coyote vs. Acme featured both live-action and animated characters.
The Day the Earth Blew Up stands out from its predecessors as the first fully animated Looney Tunes movie to be released in theaters. With its premiere in cinemas, moviegoers will finally get to see the iconic cartoon characters presented purely in the medium in which they were introduced back in 1930.
The Day The Earth Blew Up’s Original Release Plan Would’ve Prevented This Looney Tunes Record
The Day The Earth Blew Up Nearly Ended Up On Streaming
The Day The Earth Blew Up almost didn’t get the chance to appear on cinema screens. The film was originally planned for a streaming release on Max, as well as on the ACME Night block on Cartoon Network. It was after the merger between Warner Bros. and Discovery that those plans were shut down and the film’s release was put on hold.
Other streaming services were being considered to showcase The Day the Earth Blew Up. Fortunately, it escaped from limbo when it was revealed (via Variety) that the movie had a theatrical release date in October 2023. The film then had its world premiere at the Annecy International Animation Film Festival on June 11, 2024.
Thankfully, audiences have gotten the chance to see the filmmakers’ hard work presented in theaters for the first time in Looney Tunes history.
Similar to Coyote vs. Acme, The Day the Earth Blew Up: A Looney Tunes Movie had a tumultuous journey behind-the-scenes that left its future uncertain. Thankfully, audiences have gotten the chance to see the product of the filmmakers’ hard work for themselves. With this theatrical film presented purely through animation for the first time in Looney Tunes history, the iconic franchise will continue to stay fresh in the minds of fans and moviegoers with its 2025 release.
Source: Rotten Tomatoes, Variety
