Development
Early Events
In 2017, there was an announcement that Animaniacs is getting a reboot expected to be led by Steven Spielberg and made by Amblin TV and Warner Bros. Entertainment, as before.[6] A contributing factor is due to the show experiencing a popularity surge on Netflix. On October 1st, 2017, Netflix removed the original show to make room for other titles (it is commonly theorized they removed the show due to losing the bidding-war for reboot rights to Hulu) . In addition, Rob Paulsen and Randy Rogel’s successful Animaniacs Live! concerts were also instrumental in reviving the series as it helped keep the show popular.
Announcement
In 2018, Amblin announced that Animaniacs was renewed for two more seasons which will air on Hulu.[7] If the show has good viewership ratings, more may be picked up later. In the meantime, Warner Bros. has given streaming rights to Hulu for Tiny Toon Adventures (The Plucky Duck Show included), Animaniacs, Pinky and the Brain, and Pinky, Elmyra and the Brain, all of which were available for streaming on Netflix in different territories at some point until 2017. However, Freakazoid!, another Spielberg/WB cartoon, was not included in the deal.
Production
As of early June 2018, [8] the pilot episode's script was completed and as of July 12th, 2018, [9] storyboarding and production has officially started. On August 9th, 2018, an interview with Rob Paulsen revealed that there will be 26 new half-hour episodes of the show, and the new season would most likely air in the Fall of 2020. [10] At the time, it was stated that it was unknown whether the original voice actors would return or their roles would be recast.
In the 157th episode of the fan podcast "Animanicast" on August 18th, 2019; new details were revealed on how the process was coming along.[11] According to a summed-up version,[12] it's planned that the reboot will be released in September 14, 2020 as opposed to the Fall, Randy Rogel has returned to write (most likely songs) for the show, Steve and Julie Bernstein have returned to compose, and two new songwriters have been hired and have tweeted their involvement. There has been no mention of Slappy Squirrel or Goodfeathers segments being included yet, but there are some new "Good Idea, Bad Idea"-like segments, the original voice actors possibly being involved due to strong hints from Paulsen and LaMarche (but still unconfirmed at the time due to NDA), and an Instagram post from Carlos Alazraqui with him in a recording studio with Paulsen, Jess Harnell and Tress MacNeille that may indicate him being involved in the reboot as well.
On October 8th, 2019, in Paulsen's book "Voice Lessons", [13] it was confirmed that he, Harnell, MacNeille and LaMarche were working on the show and returned to provide voices for it, including for Yakko, Wakko, Dot, Pinky and the Brain. On January 25, 2020, Steve Bernestien returned to conduction with the show’s first scoring session, with a leaked image of the new Animaniacs. The show is mostly scored at the same Eastwood Soundstage as the original.
In March 2020, several crew members behind the show confirmed on Twitter that they were now working on the show from home due to the ongoing COVID-19 Pandemic shutting down the studio. [14] The show was also menitoned along with numerous other animated series that are still continuing production amidst the virus in a Deadline article. [15]
Likewise on May 2nd, 2020, Rob Paulsen confirmed on his Instagram Live stream that the cast is recording some lines from their homes. He also reaffirmed the Fall 2020 release window. It’s currently unknown if scoring is being done remotely as well.
Closer to Release
On June 11, 2020, Rob Paulsen said in an Ask Fandom livestream that the estimated release window as of now is September-October, but no exact date due to COVID. He also confirmed the show is a revival and that the Warners have been locked away in the tower since the 90s ("They are self-aware that they had been locked-down for 25 years"). [16] [17]
In an interview with Animation Magazine, Rob Paulsen confirmed that as of July 2020 the show is now in post-production. He also confirmed that Squit and Dr. Scratchansniff will be returning. New ancillary characters will also be introduced.[18]
On July 19th, 2020, more reboot news dropped courtesy of Animanicast‘s sources. [19]
The following was revealed:
- Theme song is the same as the original with modified lyrics.
- First season is decent with ups and downs with a “spectacular” second season.
- Pilot episode is stellar.
- Pinky and the Brain in particular have some of the strongest episodes.
- The Goodfeathers will appears in cameos, despite Squit is only to be voiced.
- Wellesley Wild is working to honor the original show to satisfy old and new audiences with modern stuff as well as to make his children happy.
- Hello Nurse, Minerva Mink, Rita, and Runt will not appear.
- Spielberg’s “clean-up” crew had a different role than thought, he was busy for West Side Story for a while before returning with a set of notes. The issue here wasn’t with quality but rather time. Additional support was hired to help out.
- Freakazoid will possibly appear in the second season.
- Thaddeus Plotz will retire and not be present as a new female Latina CEO will take over the studio. [20]
