After announcingmultiple reboots and spin-offs of popular classic Cartoon Network shows, it seems Warner Bros. is doubling down on its plans, teasing that the future of its animation division will involve bringing back existing IP as it “makes good business sense.” In a recent interview with Bloomberg, Warner Bros. executiveVanessa Brookmanstated, “The easiest way for me to do that now is to do it with our really beloved IP.” Interestingly, Warner Bros. wants to bring back classic titles, as there were numerous reports of shows being pulled off Max, likeBen 10, Steven Universe, andThe Regular Show,to name a few. It also doesn’t help that theCartoon Network website shut down last year.
But while shows are being pulled from Warner Bros' streaming library, the studio did announce numerous new projects, such as a new season ofThe Amazing World of Gumball,moreAdventure Timecontent, and a preschool reboot ofFoster’s Home for Imaginary Friends. “Scooby-Doois like a vampire. You can’t kill it," Robert Alvarez, a retired animator, told Bloomberg when speaking about the future of Cartoon Network. It’s not just animated IP that Warner Bros is banking on. TheHarry PotterHBO series is about to enter production, where it plans to tell the story of all seven books for seven seasons.
Are Reboots Becoming the New Norm?
While movies likeSinnersand TV shows likeThe Pitthave proven that audiences can get just as excited about original projects, many studios are still banking on content that we’re already familiar with. However, this can also be a gamble, as studios have to ensure that reboots and remakes still capture the same magic for fans rather than a bold-faced cash grab.
Reboots, remakes, and spin-offs aren’t new for animation. One notable example is theScooby-Doofranchise, which has come out with multiple TV shows,spin-offs, andfilms.Additionally, Warner Bros isn’t the only media company doing this. The Walt Disney Company has announced the expansion of numerous titles, like the ever-growingStar Warsfranchise, and the studio is bringing backPhineas and Ferba decade after the series ended in 2015. Meanwhile, in the live-action setting, reboots are commonplace and tend to be a hit or miss. NBC rebooted theSuitsfranchise after the series found new success on streaming, withSuits LA, whichwas recently canceled. Meanwhile, the modern era ofDoctor Whois technically on its second reboot, having already been revived in 2005, and starting fresh again with a Disney+ deal and a new Doctor back in 2023.
Stay tuned at Collider for further updates on the future of Cartoon Network and the anticipated reboots of your favorite shows.
