Cartoons aren’t just for kids anymore, and the current state of adult-targeted animation is both big business and top quality. Some of the funniest sitcoms on the small-screen contain no live-action: From Netflix’s “BoJack Horseman” to FX’s “Archer” and Fox’s Bob’s Burgers.
Then, of course, there are the still-strong pioneers, like “The Simpsons,” “South Park,” and “Family Guy.” Certainly the concept of grown-up cartoons isn’t brand-new to the turn of 2016, but to animated comedies aimed at adult audiences are enjoying unprecedented success.
So, why does a genre once meant for children and relegated to Saturday mornings now hold their parents’ attention between 8 and 11 p..m., as well as on-demand? “Bob’s Burgers” creator Loren Bouchard credits it mostly to what he calls “an accident of the medium.” And it’s a happy accident, indeed.
Back in the day, there was only one acceptable reason to pitch your show as an animated one. “The answer you were supposed to give was so you could do crazy stuff that couldn’t happen in real life, and these cutaway jokes that reach the height of absurdity very quickly,” Bouchard told TheWrap.
“I think, actually, the real answer — nowadays especially — is, ‘Because you can have different voices coming out of different faces,” he explained. “You have this incredible flexibility where you can have an adult play a kid, you can have a man play a woman, and so on.”
That allows for totally different points of view than a live-action sitcom could generate, and it definitely makes the “kids” more valuable from a comedic and storytelling standpoint. And that’s not even getting into the potential for animals, aliens and the like.
Another big bonus animation allows is its casting potential. Take a closer look at the credits of your favorite “adult” cartoon next time you tune in.
“It is easier to get people to agree to do voiceovers,” Bouchard explained. “They do not have to go and sit in a trailer and get made up, they do not have to sit around on the set all day or on location.” He added, “You will often get people who you wouldn’t have been able to get otherwise to be a guest star on your TV show, because all it requires of them is maybe an hour of their time.”
Stand-up comic Bill Burr — whose “F is for Family” premieres Friday on Netflix — agreed with that sentiment, though of course, both he and Bouchard have more responsibilities on their respective series than just a little V.O.
“If I was just doing voiceover on it, yeah, it’d be a joke,” Burr, who created and executive produces the show, told TheWrap. “I could do stand-up and possibly have a bit part in another series or maybe do a movie.”
And despite those big names, animated comedies make economic sense, as they are cheaper to produce than live-action sitcoms — especially those off-broadcast TV. That’s a pretty good starting point, but return-on-investment opportunities goes beyond the budget.
It’s not, however, a guarantee of success. Hulu on Thursday canceled Seth Meyers‘ “The Awesomes” after three seasons, as the service shifts to a strategy more dependent on more expensive premium dramas.
Bouchard touted animation’s “high-level of re-watchability and overseas sale-ability” as something networks — like his Fox — crave. And cartoons also tend to stick around a long time, which has benefits for ownership downstream.
Plus, there’s always the merchandise potential.
“These characters, by definition, they’re sort of icons — they’re iconic,” the “Bob’s Burgers” boss said.
In other words, a successful animated show will sell a bunch of t-shirts — and these to a demographic that actually has purchasing power. Optimistically, action figures and video games aren’t out of the question either.
The confluence of all these factors has led to quality of these adult cartoons never being better, and the competition is as stiff as ever from both the new shows and the legacy programs.
“‘South Park’ [has] been doing the best social commentary of the last almost 20 years. That show is incredible,” Burr said. “I watch that show anytime it’s on — if they’re doing like a run of them, I’ll watch like three in a row. I always end up shaking my head — I think those guys are geniuses over there.”
While it took him awhile to see his own effort come to fruition at Netflix — it turned out not to be a fit at Amazon or Adult Swim — Burr believes the final product is worth his six-year investment.
“This is just an incredible time for creative people,” he summed up his animated journey, which began a long time ago with a Comedy Central pass on a failed pilot. “There’s just so many options now, I think they just had to loosen up the reins and let creative people go.”
“F Is for Family” will go its entirety on Netflix Friday at 12:01 a.m. Bob’s Burgers returns for the remainder of its Season 6 on Jan. 10, 2016.
30 Highest Grossing Animated Movies of All Time Worldwide
A look at top animated moneymakers as of May 2020, from "The Lion King" to "Zootopia." The numbers are not adjusted for inflation.
30. "The Incredibles" (2004)
Worldwide Gross: $633,019,734
In 2004, Brad Bird's first Pixar outing wowed audiences with complicated animated action scenes, cross-generational comedy and superhero mayhem.
Pixar Animation Studios
29. "Sing" (2016)
Worldwide Gross: $634,151,679
Illumination's animal-karaoke musical crooned its way onto the list.
28. "Moana" (2016)
Worldwide Gross: $643,331,111
Disney's Hawaii-set movie scored two Oscar nominations, for Best Animated Feature and Lin-Manuel Miranda's song "How Far I'll Go."
Disney
27. "Big Hero 6" (2014)
Worldwide Gross: $657,818,612
Disney's 2014 robot tale combined anime aesthetics, superhero action and Pixar's heart.
Disney Animation Studios
26. "Ice Age: The Meltdown" (2006)
Worldwide Gross: $660,940,780
Fox's 2006 prehistoric romp proved the success of the first was no fluke.
Twentieth Century Fox
25. "Kung Fu Panda 2" (2011)
Worldwide Gross: $665,692,281
With the franchise's skills proven, DreamWorks Animation gave the world another hit of comedy with this animated martial arts sequel in 2011.
Dreamworks Animation Studios
24. "Up" (2009)
Worldwide Gross: $735,099,082
The 2009 fan favorite demonstrated that original ideas with big emotions could make big money.
Pixar Animation Studios
23. "Monsters University" (2013)
Worldwide Gross: $744,229,437
Ten years after the release of "Monsters Inc," Pixar sent fans back to school in a 2013 prequel.
Pixar Animation Studios
22. "Madagascar 3: Europe's Most Wanted" (2012)
Worldwide Gross: $746,921,274
DreamWorks Animation's "Madagascar" series kept the studio afloat with a string of breezy successes, including 2012's third installment.
Dreamworks Animation Studios
21. "Shrek Forever After" (2010)
Worldwide Gross: $752,600,867
The big green ogre's final chapter dropped in 2010.
Dreamworks Animation Studio
20. "Shrek the Third" (2007)
Worldwide Gross: $798,958,162
Made in 2007, this sequel proved there was still some gas left in this fantasy mash-up comedy franchise.
Dreamworks Animation Studio
19. "Coco" (2017)
Worldwide Gross: $807,082,196
Directed by Lee Unkrich, this animated film captured everyone's hearts and even won the Academy Award for Best Animated Feature in 2018.
Disney/Pixar
18. "Inside Out" (2015)
Worldwide Gross: $857,611,174
Disney Pixar hit the home run again with this animated feature film about the emotions inside your head, starring Amy Poehler, Mindy Kaling and Bill Hader.
Disney/Pixar
17. "The Secret Life of Pets" (2016)
Worldwide Gross:$875,457,937
Universal/Illumination's story of dogs seeking out adventure while their owners are away charmed its way onto the list.
Profits abound for this 2012 fourth installment in the chilly prehistoric franchise, followed just behind it's predecessor.
Twentieth Century Fox Animation
15."Ice Age: Dawn of the Dinosaurs" (2009)
Worldwide Gross: $888,805,671
While other films have made bigger waves in the States, international sales have always returned big money for Fox's "Ice Age" franchise, proven again by the 2009 entry.
Twentieth Century Fox Animation
14. "Shrek 2" (2004)
Worldwide Gross: $919,838,758
DreamWorks Animation proved to be worthy Pixar competition with its successful "Shrek" franchise.
Dreamworks Animation Studio
13. "Finding Nemo" (2003)
Worldwide Gross: $940,335,536
"Finding Nemo" was something of a second-wind for Pixar, solidifying the company's place as the titans of modern animation.
Pixar Studios
12. "The Lion King" (1994)
Worldwide Gross: $968,483,777
Can you feel the love tonight for this Disney animated classic?
Disney Animation Studios
11. "Despicable Me 2" (2013)
Worldwide Gross: $970,761,885
Illumination's sequel managed to make more money than its predecessor and put the upcoming "Minions" spin-off into motion.
Illumination Studios
10. "Zootopia" (2016)
Worldwide Gross: $1,023,784,195
Disney charmed audiences in 2016 with its cop thriller pairing a rookie rabbit cop and a wily fox informant.
Disney
9. "Finding Dory" (2016)
Worldwide Gross: $1,028,570,889
The sequel to "Finding Nemo" swam right back into audience's hearts.
Pixar
8. "Despicable Me 3" (2017)
Worldwide Gross: $1,034,799,409
Illumination's follow-up -- featuring Gru's blond-haired brother -- became the franchise's biggest grosser.
7. "Toy Story 3" (2010)
Worldwide Gross: $1,066,969,703
Built on Pixar's critical and commercial goodwill, the third installment in the mega-franchise brought in big profits.
Pixar Studios
6. "Toy Story 4" (2019)
Worldwide Gross: $1,073,394,593
Nearly two decades after the last film, Woody and Buzz and the gang returned for the top-grossing film in the series (not adjusted for inflation, that is).
Disney
5. "Minions" (2015)
Worldwide Gross: $1,159,398,397
The little yellow helpers crossed the $1 billion mark at the end of August, raking in more money then "Despicable Me" and "Despicable Me 2" for Universal Pictures.
Universal Pictures/Illumination Entertainment
4. "Incredibles 2" (2018)
Worldwide Gross: $1,242,805,359
The superpowered family sprung back into action a full 14 years after the original -- but far surpassed the original film's box office haul.
Disney/Pixar
3. "Frozen" (2013)
Worldwide Gross: $1,276,480,335
Disney's 2013 smash-hit takes the box office top spot. And then there was merchandising, video on demand and home video that audiences just couldn't let go...
Disney Animation Studios
2. "Frozen II" (2019)
Worldwide Gross: $1,450,026,933
Though it failed to garner an Oscar nom for Best Animated Feature, this sequel still managed to outgross its predecessor.
1. The Lion King (2019)
Worldwide Gross: $1,631,724,000
Whether the film is animated or live-action has been up for debate, the new "Lion King" was computer animated, so we're putting it on the list.
Disney
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Cartoon characters that cleaned up at the global box office, from “The Lion King” to “Incredibles 2”
A look at top animated moneymakers as of May 2020, from "The Lion King" to "Zootopia." The numbers are not adjusted for inflation.