{"id":425797,"date":"2026-05-13T15:36:09","date_gmt":"2026-05-13T15:36:09","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/425797\/"},"modified":"2026-05-13T15:36:09","modified_gmt":"2026-05-13T15:36:09","slug":"warner-bros-execs-outline-major-theatrical-animation-return","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/425797\/","title":{"rendered":"Warner Bros. Execs Outline Major Theatrical Animation Return"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Surrounded by animation professionals and members of the media during last night\u2019s open house event at their offices in Burbank, Warner Bros. Pictures Animation, the studio\u2019s newly launched animated label, shared its vision for an upcoming slate of theatrical feature films.<\/p>\n

During her turn at the mic, co-chair and CEO of Warner Bros. Motion Picture Group, Pam Abdy, summarized the studio\u2019s new mission as a commitment to \u201cbold, modern animated films designed for global theatrical audiences.\u201d A desire for the Warner brand and its IPs to return meaningfully to the theatrical feature animation space is the key mandate.<\/p>\n

\u201cOur slate is intentionally balanced with reimagined beloved properties through a contemporary lens, while also investing in original storytelling that feels distinctive,\u201d she continued. Their goal, she said, is not to \u201cchase a single tone or look, but to create a diverse slate of animated films that connect across generations, stories that are entertaining for families, sophisticated enough for adults, and memorable enough to endure.\u201d<\/p>\n

Slated for November 6, their first release, The Cat in the Hat, will test whether their ethos to produce projects that are \u201cfilmmaker-driven, visually ambitious, and designed as a true theatrical event\u201d can translate into box office success.<\/p>\n

In the aftermath of how The Day the Earth Blew Up and the upcoming Coyote vs. Acme were handled, both of which were sold to Ketchup Entertainment (which just scored<\/a> a $100 million P&A financial facility thanks largely in part to the toon pickups), WBPA seems interested in course-correcting how it approaches the Looney Tunes property. Debuting at Annecy next month, Daffy Season is a new Looney Tunes theatrical short that, according to Abdy, \u201creestablishes our commitment to bring Looney Tunes back to the big screen.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"Daffy<\/a><\/p>\n

On that note, Bill Damaschke, president and chief creative officer of WBPA, called attention to the fact that the reception was taking place in a space known as Termite Terrace, named after the legendary bungalow on the Warner Bros. lot that became home to the Looney Tunes and Merrie Melodies. Damaschke called it \u201cthe birthplace of some of the most iconic animated characters ever created.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAt the time, animation wasn\u2019t a prestigious part of Hollywood\u2019s legacy; live-action productions were at the glamorous sound stages. The cartoon department was tucked away in a modest bungalow,\u201d Damaschke said for historical context. \u201cYet, from those humble beginnings came one of the most beloved comedians in entertainment history, Bugs Bunny, who continues to be an enduring mascot of Warner Bros.\u201d<\/p>\n

The slate of features includes the original film Bad Fairies, whose concept art suggests a distinct look for fairies that moves away from the more dainty or traditionally feminine portrayals seen in Disney films, and Margie Claus, a Christmas movie with Melissa McCarthy in the title role. The character\u2019s design closely resembles the actress.
\"Bad<\/a><\/p>\n

Other features will fold in legacy characters from the Warner ecosystem. One of them, Dynamic Duo, follows two iterations of Robin from the Batman universe and is a collaboration with New Orleans puppet studio Swaybox. Action filmed with large-scale puppets will be combined with and enhanced by animation. Then there\u2019s a new Tom and Jerry film, Meerkat Manor, and Meet the Flintstones, which is in early development.<\/p>\n

Outside IPs that WBPA is adapting into animated features include Sanrio\u2019s Hello Kitty, Dr. Seuss adaptation Oh, the Places You\u2019ll Go!, and Lunar Chronicles, based on the YA sci-fi book series, which will feature a racially diverse cast of characters.<\/p>\n

Animation, Abdy said, is a foundational piece of the future of big-screen exhibition, since animated features often serve as \u201ca first introduction to the theatrical experience for our younger audience.\u201d She declared WBPA\u2019s projects \u201cone of the most meaningful investments we can make in the future of moviegoing.\u201d Abdy\u2019s comments feel refreshing at a time when the fragmentation of the streaming landscape reaffirms the value of theaters.<\/p>\n

For his part, Damaschke reiterated WBPA\u2019s intent not to settle on a single technique or pipeline and provided a broader picture of the number of artists the label is employing.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe now have about 250 artists and filmmakers working across 13 countries,\u201d he said. \u201cAnd if you count everyone working at the partner studios on our films, it\u2019s over a thousand people working on Warner Bros. Pictures Animation right now.\u201d<\/p>\n

Warner\u2019s previous animation label, Warner Animation Group, produced \u201csix films in 10 years,\u201d Damaschke explained. \u201cWe have seven films coming in the next three years and a short,\u201d he added. Most of them are currently slated for 2028 releases.<\/p>\n

Damaschke also praised Abdy and Michael De Luca, the other co-chair and CEO at Warner Bros. Motion Picture Group, for showing that \u201ctaking big swings and investing in originals is what audiences actually want.\u201d<\/p>\n

Applauding the kinds of films now considered awards-worthy, Damaschke acknowledged the presence of producer Michelle Wong, who won the Oscar in March for KPop Demon Hunters. The success of that film, he said, is the brass ring for WBPA.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s like, \u2018Wow, do something bold, fresh, and original that no one believes in, and everyone doubts the whole time you\u2019re working on it, and you might actually win.\u2019\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Surrounded by animation professionals and members of the media during last night\u2019s open house event at their offices…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":425798,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[27],"tags":[156,409,111,139,69],"class_list":["post-425797","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-movies","tag-entertainment","tag-movies","tag-new-zealand","tag-newzealand","tag-nz"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/425797","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=425797"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/425797\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/425798"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=425797"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=425797"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=425797"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}