Looney Tunes Getting a re-haul...

[on:]

 http://online.wsj.com/article_email/0,,SB110852081412556108-IdjeoNhlaZ4n5yranuHaauEm4,00.html

Didn't see a thread for this particular subject made already, or another that it would fit in, but yeah.

Warner Bros, in short, is making a new series with "revamped" looney tunes. and by revamped...I mean redesigned. And not in a good way.

...Crap. Why fix what ain't broken? Anyway, what are other people's thoughts on this? I honestly think it's awfully stupid to change such classic characters THIS drastically at this point in time. Especially when their current look is so vastly recognized to the world. Mel Blanc must be turning in his grave. 

[Reply #1 on:]

Worst thing I ever saw.
That looks like one of those "Gundam" (sp?) robots that Linkin Park are so thrilled about.

[Reply #2 on:]

oh dear god
Why must everything old be dug up, pissed on and reburied upside down these days?

[Reply #3 on:]

This reminded me of a South Park Episode I saw a few days ago.

Bet they're gonna replace all the guns with Walkie-Talkies.

[Reply #4 on:]

if they really want to revive the looney tunes franchise they should do exactly what they did in the 40s, make some 7 minute theatrical cartoons and get guys like Brad Bird and John K to direct them.

[Reply #5 on:]

Holy flippin hamburgers 
Bugs looks like he got suited up for V-R Troopers.

[Reply #6 on:]

Well I think he looks pretty cool and that you guys (puts glasses on) ahhhhh what the fuck is that! Shoot it, it needs to die!!!

[Reply #7 on:]

When will these damned companies learn that you can update characters for the 21st centuary without pissing on everything that they were before? They updated Popeye with 3d animation and did a bang up job of it. The animation is 3d, but it retans the style of the old cartoons. They just toned down his anger a little which is understandable because the film is made for children.

There's no reason they can't do something similar with Looney Toons. I don't mean 3d animation necessarily, but they just need to create a new TV series, with new shorts, without trying to make the characters cool, or speeding up the animation, or giving them cell phones, or any of that garbage. They tried to make Micky cool in House of Mouse, and that show is terrible. It's a mistake they should learn from. Update the animation, make new stories, but don't try to repackage the characters.

They also have to leave the jokes that go completly over children's heads in there, like in the old cartoons, so adults will actually enjoy watching them with their kids. That's another thing many of these updated versions of cartoons forget to leave in there. 

[Reply #8 on:]

That's it, fuck Warner Bros.

Fuck em.

[Reply #9 on:]

The goggles do nothing! What about baby looney tunes? That was a pretty shity too.

[Reply #10 on:]

I heard about this redesign on the radio this morning.  That picture of Bugs looks even worse than I imagined.  Whatever, it's their license.  They're trying to pitch this to a generation that probably has seen very little of the original Looney Toons.  It seems like a pretty dumb gamble on their part though.

[Reply #11 on:]

That does not look good at all 

[Reply #12 on:]

What will be it be next?

News just in, World War II is being improved for the 21st Century!

Hitler is now half man, half giant robot.
The Commies are now the bad guys too!
Battles are won by simply rushing the enemy with more tanks than they have!
America wins the war single handedly!
Every British person must be a cockney and all the French are Cowards, even the ones who escaped and are fighting with the allies.
All the Generals now look like strong dashing men in there early 30's.
Shell shock is now surround sound!
The Holocaust, in colour!
 

[Reply #13 on:]

Don't forget the potential for nice, capitalist merchandising...

Get it before your dog! The new WWII iPod Mini. Add a new sense of realism to the battlefield as you stride across the plains of death, wielding the Josef Stalin signature iPod Mini, an exact replica of the very iPod worn by the Commie leader himself.

[Reply #14 on:]

 

Originally posted by Nurdbot:
This reminded me of a South Park Episode I saw a few days ago.

Bet they're gonna replace all the guns with Walkie-Talkies.

Free hat! Free hat! Free hat! Free hat!
Best episode ever.

On to the actual topic: fuck.  Warner Brothers just took Fox's place as my most hated television entity.  (AOL Tome Warner as a whole had been last on my list, even after Newscorp, for a while...since the AOL merger, in fact.)

Seriously, people should do something about this.  Are there any WB/Looney Toons/Merry Melodies message boards where we can agitate?  Maybe get everyone to mail carrots to WB headquarters?

This epitomizes what's wrong with television and to some degree American culture as a whole.  No respect for the past, altering rather than creating, <Hour long rant deleted>, etc.

[Reply #15 on:]

Here's another scary pic of this shity show:
 http://news.toonzone.net/images/2005-02/loonatics.jpg

[Reply #16 on:]

that link don't work.

  http://news.toonzone.net/article.php?ID=1733 



   

Six descendents of the original Looney Tunes crew will gain superpowers in Loonatics, a new franchise property coming to Kids WB this fall, the network announced today. The series is one of three new and four returning series that Kids WB announced for its 2005-06 season.

Set in the year 2772, Loonatics will be an "over-the-top, high-octane action-comedy" featuring revised versions of Bugs Bunny, Daffy Duck, the Road Runner, Lola Bunny, Tasmanian Devil and Wile E. Coyote. Using special abilities and an irreverent sense of humor, the six will battle the evils of Acmetropolis. The series will air on Saturdays at 9:00am (ET/PT).

This morning's print edition of The Wall Street Journal quotes Warner Bros. Animation president Sander Schwartz as saying that reaction in test groups to the series has been "phenomenal."

So they're making a Teen Titans style Looney Tunes. This looks absolutely horrifying and interesting at the same time...

[Reply #17 on:]

...I am very afraid. Very VERY afraid. For the love of God, please leave these cartoons alone.

[Reply #18 on:]

Considering they haven't gone anywhere box-office-wise or ratings-wise with the last couple of TV incarnations and movies of these guys, this overhaul might actually be decent. I'm reserving judgement for the final product, though.

[Reply #19 on:]

Those new characters look totally EXTREEEEEEEME 2 DA MAXXXXXX!!!!

[Reply #20 on:]

Dude, that looks totally beast!

... 

Seriously, no. Why don't stupid big companies in charge of classic characters realize that the lack of profit isn't because the characters are out of date, but because their new material sucks? The live action/Looney Tune crap is terrible. Baby Looney Tunes is terrible. Make something that doesn't suck. Or leave them alone. Something.

[Reply #21 on:]

here's an opinion article from toonzone which basically echoes my opinions:

 http://news.toonzone.net/article.php?ID=1768

Seriously, though, can you imagine how much badass chaos Wile E. Coyote could put out upon villains with all his gadgets? Seriously, this show looks highly interesting to me.

However, if they fucking live in a giant carrot tower...rargh.

[Reply #22 on:]

Ugh. I couldn't even tell who was who and what was what in that promotional shot. That's never a good sign. Did people really demand this? I don't think Loony Tunes are big with kids today, so this show can't be marketed toward them. Hardcore fans (or people who grew up with LT) will be disgusted by this, so the show can't be marketed toward them. Who's going to watch this?

[Reply #23 on:]

Oh this is just painfull to see, Bugs bunny is not surpose to look like that no is daffy! it's just brings a tear to the eye as i remeber watching these cartoons when i was a kid they are classic, as i said brings a tear to the eye, and i bet you it won't last one season!

[Reply #24 on:]

To me, those characters are Random X-treem Rabbit, Random X-treem Duck, Random X-treem Ostrich, Random X-character #1 and Random X-treem character #2.
I know there are a lot of fuzz about whether or not Maddox is worth noticing, but he's right about this. (not Looney Tunes related, but X-treem bullshit related) http://maddox.xmission.com/c.cgi?u=xtreme_bullshit

[Reply #25 on:]

where the hell does it say this is X-TREME? They've just redesigned the characters.

[Reply #26 on:]

I don't know, "over-the-top, high-octane action-comedy" sounds pretty X-TREME to me. 

The description of the show above sounds bad enough, but combined with those hideous looking characters this seems downright silly. 

[Reply #27 on:]

Five bucks says one or all of the new characters like X-TREME! skateboarding or snowboarding in order to appear "cool" to the kids.

[Reply #28 on:]

okay, new article on this:
 http://www.cinescape.com/0/editorial.asp?aff_id=0&this_cat=Television&action=page&obj_id=43543&type_id=270286&cat_id=270355&sub_id=0

So even I was fooled. It's not the original characters. It's their, like, grandkids.

[Reply #29 on:]

 

Originally posted by evan:
Five bucks says one or all of the new characters like X-TREME! skateboarding or snowboarding in order to appear "cool" to the kids.

I'll add on another ten bucks by saying that they'll link scenes up with lasers and bad metal guitar riffs.

[Reply #30 on:]

Oh, for cryin' out loud, guys...give it a chance. Jeezus...

[Reply #31 on:]

Mmmm, no. A lot of us watched the classic stuff when we were kids.

[Reply #32 on:]

What will their voices sound like...? Any word?

[Reply #33 on:]

Well, since it's gonna be X-treme a Skater/Surfer Dude is bound to be among them.

[Reply #34 on:]

*Slaps Nurdbot*

And MrMastadon, no, no voices or clips have been released yet...

[Reply #35 on:]

Looney Tunes with Super Powers? What the hell for? They can already defy the laws of gravity simply by being unaware of them, store enourmous anvils in their non-existant pockets, and imbue wall paintings with qualities so realistic that a train would emerge from them!

[Reply #36 on:]

*laughs ass off* I hated the original looneytoons so i have the luxury of watching everyone else take offence without having to feel offended myself. Although i agree that the original creators must be rolling in their graves.

The visual style based on that promo pic is rather ugly. All thick lines and hard angles. Ick!

[Reply #37 on:]

It's NOT the original Looney Tunes in this show. It's their descendants. SAVE YOUR FUCKING JUDGEMENTS OF IT FOR WHEN THE SHOW ACTUALLY AIRS!

[Reply #38 on:]

but it's based on them and i wouldn't be surprised if these 'descendants' all happened to be named for their respective grandparents.

[Reply #39 on:]

so? so what? Face it. Things change. The old looney tunes style doesn't work in this world anymore. I'm kinda glad there's gonna be a complete revamp. I'm sure Chuck Jones was rolling in his grave when that travesty of a movie "Back in Action" came out. I think he'd applaud a new direction.