A new and exciting version of the animated Tom & Jerry is being brought to the theaters in the near future by Warner Bros. The studio was at the receiving end of significant criticism from fans of these classic cartoons after Coyote vs Acme‘s treatment. The film, which was on sale since February 2024, was sold to Ketchup Entertainment in March 2025.
Many fans almost believed that Warner Bros. would distance itself from these kinds of projects involving cartoon characters. However, WB Animation has doubled down on the classics, announcing not only a theatrical Tom & Jerry film but also theatrical versions of The Flintstones and Looney Tunes.
A movie about Hanna-Barbera’s iconic cat-and-mouse characters was first reported in December. The Flintstones project has been in development at the studio from 2023, however, the current film appears to be a revamped version of the earlier project.
Warner Bros. brings Tom & Jerry and other iconic cartoons to theaters
Warner Bros. Animation excited fans with its presentation at CinemaCon 2025 with the announcement of a few classic projects (via ComicBook). The studio is now working on theatrical animated feature films, including Tom & Jerry, The Flintstones, and Looney Tunes. Fans are surprised at this new array of animated features at WB.
In December, it was reported that actress Rashida Jones, Will McCormack, and Michael Govier were tapped to write the script for a new Tom & Jerry film (via Deadline). The previous outing from the franchise, Tom & Jerry (2021), was a live-action and CG-animation hybrid, which earned the studio $136 million against a reported $50 million budget.
The film’s reception wasn’t great, which makes it surprising that WB is having another run at it. As of writing, there is not much information available about the title, plot, or animation style of the new film. WB has also been attempting a project on The Flinstones for some time now.
WB Animation attempted to create a TV series format of the series. However, it was cancelled after the new regime took over. A film called Meet the Flintstones was in development at the studio, with The Super Mario Bros. Movie directors Aaron Horvath and Michael Jelenic at the helm.
The studio’s relationship with the Looney Tunes franchise has been shaky in the past years. However, announcing a Looney Tunes movie is a step in the right direction to honor the classic franchise. Overall, WB’s new announcement makes us all happy and excited. At least, the studio is putting in an effort to keep these characters alive in our minds.
Warner Bros.’s previous treatment of Looney Tunes got some of us concerned
Warner Bros. received harsh criticism from fans when it decided to take a $30 million tax write-down for the $70 million production of Coyote vs Acme. The film was completed and had the involvement of John Cena as one of its stars and James Gunn as a producer. The studio didn’t see the point in spending more dollars on marketing the film.
Following a massive backlash, WB allowed the filmmakers to find other distributors for the film. After negotiations with potential buyers went nowhere, WB reconsidered its decision to shelve the film. However, the film was still made available for purchase until March 2025, when Ketchup Entertainment bought the world distribution rights to it.
It wasn’t the only time WB treated the Looney Tunes IP badly. In 2023, the studio made another animated full-length feature, The Day the Earth Blew Up: A Looney Tunes Movie. The rights of this film were also sold to Ketchup Entertainment, who released it in North America.
Fans hope that WB doesn’t turn its announced new animated features into a mess like these films.
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