It’s time for AN-I-MAN-I-ACS! No, for real. A brand-new version of the classic ’90s cartoon is coming at fans from Hulu, Amblin Television and Warner Bros. Animation, the premium streaming service announced Thursday.
Steven Spielberg is back as executive producer for the family-friendly animated show, which has received a two-season straight-to-series order. The reboot, which marks Hulu’s first original series made for families, is set to premiere in 2020.
“We cannot wait to work with Steven Spielberg and the entire Amblin and Warner Bros. teams to bring more sketches, catchphrases, songs and laughs from the Animaniacs to kids and adults everywhere,” Craig Erwich, SVP of Content at Hulu, said in a press release. “Now one of the most beloved, inventive and funny animated franchises in history, Animaniacs and its cast of witty characters can live on, on Hulu. This marks yet another big move for us as we continue our efforts to be the #1 streaming destination for premium animated content.”
As an added treat, as of Thursday, the complete libraries of all the original “Animaniacs,” “Pinky and the Brain,” “Pinky, Elmyra and the Brain,” and the entire “Tiny Toon Adventures” collection will be available exclusively on Hulu.
“I am so pleased and proud that ‘Animaniacs’ will have a home at Hulu,” Spielberg added. “Together with Warner Bros., we look to bring new audiences and longtime fans into this wild world of Yakko, Wakko, and Dot. I am also excited that the full library of ‘Animaniacs’ and ‘Tiny Toon Adventures’ episodes are included in the deal.”
To give you a refresher — or for non-’90s kids — the cartoon centers around The Warner brothers, Yakko and Wakko, and the Warner sister, Dot — three inseparable, irascible siblings — who have a great time wreaking havoc and mayhem in the lives of everyone they meet.
“Yakko, Wakko and Dot have been waiting impatiently inside the water tower, and now their hilarious brand of animated chaos will be unleashed — again! We’re incredibly excited to be partnering with Amblin and Hulu for new episodes of ‘Animaniacs,’ filled with endless laughs — and ongoing plots for world domination by Pinky and the Brain,” Sam Register, president, Warner Bros. Animation and Warner Digital Series added. “Parents who grew up with the cartoon now have new episodes to share with their own families.”
The original Animaniacs made its television debut in 1993 and went on to become one of the most popular animated series for children. Since its premiere, the series has launched spin-offs and characters including Pinky and the Brain, and has set the record for most Daytime Emmy Awards in the field of Outstanding Achievement in Music Direction and Composition for any animated series, winning three times.
“Animaniacs” is produced by Amblin Television in association with Warner Bros. Animation. Register and Amblin Television co-presidents Justin Falvey and Darryl Frank will also serve as executive producers along with Spielberg.