All the Warner Bros Shows Coming Back, According to Annecy 2024
In just a few years, Warner Bros. Studios went from being beloved by animation fans to public enemy number one. They purged Max of a huge chunk of their animation library, and hits like Infinity Train were among the casualties. They canceled the release of Coyote vs. ACME (twice!) despite it being finished and set to be a hit at the box office. And then there’s the dumpster fire that is Velma, a show no one asked for and everyone hated. For years, it’s felt like Warner Bros was determined to let its animated legacy die in Cartoon Network an ignoble death. But now, at long last, there might be a light at the end of the tunnel.
The Annecy MIFA market, France. Every year, people around the world flock to see the latest and greatest from the animation industry. This year, though, all focus was on Warner Bros, as the things they announced have set the internet on fire. This time, though, it’s good news: Regular Show, Gumball, and Adventure Time are making comebacks. Foster’s is coming back with a new show. And a new Scooby-Doo cartoon is coming out that isn’t Velma!
Adventure Time is Getting Two New Shows and a Movie
Adventure Time isn’t just one of Cartoon Network’s greatest shows; it’s one of the greatest cartoons ever made. Airing from 2010-2018, Adventure Time kickstarted Cartoon Network’s renaissance in the 2010s, and even after it came to an end, it never really went away. The franchise continued, first in the form of hour-long specials on Max. Then last year, we got the spin-off/sequel series Fionna and Cake, which was a huge success. Thanks to that, Warner Bros is going all-in on Adventure Time with two new shows and a flipping movie!
Not much is known about the film, but that doesn’t really matter. Fans have been clamoring for Adventure Time to get a full-length movie for years, and whether it’s released on Max, Cartoon Network, or in theaters, expectations will be high. However, Annecy 2024 did reveal details about the new spin-off shows, Side Quests and Heyo BMO! The former will return to the early days of the franchise, before the serialized storytelling set in. Heyo BMO! will be geared towards the pre-school audience as BMO meets new friends and solves problems meant for that demographic.
The show’s tagline isn’t just for show; the fun will never end!
Regular Show is Coming Back!
Adventure Time was great, but if you ask me what my favorite cartoon on Cartoon Network was in the 2010s, I’d say Regular Show. The show was a buddy sitcom about a blue jay named Mordecai and a raccoon named Rigby, two slackers working in a park with an uptight boss. And somehow, they managed to turn the most mundane of tasks into these surreal adventures that could kill them, destroy the world, maybe even both. The show was an absolute mega-hit across all ages, and to this day, I consider the series finale to be among the best I’ve ever seen. And I eagerly awaited to see what series creator, JG Quintel would do next.
What he ended up doing next didn’t just get canceled. Warner Bros purged it altogether from Max, angering a lot of people. However, it looks like Regular Show is now getting a revival, with JG Quintel returning to helm his creation.
As I said before, Regular Show was my favorite cartoon on Cartoon Network in the 2010s. I actually consider it to be a big part of why I didn’t move on from animated series. So the fact that it’s making a comeback, even if we know nothing about it, is big news in my book. Whatever the plot and setting that the revival may now take place in, I’m looking forward to seeing more of Mordecai and Rigby.
Gumball Lives! He Lives!
Before Smiling Friends did it, The Amazing World of Gumball was Warner Bros. go-to show for blending mediums. Set in the fictional town of Elmore, Gumball focused on the titular blue cat and his family and all the zany hijinks that seemed to befall them. It was incredibly popular…until it ended in 2019.
And I don’t just mean the series ended. The last episode of the series saw the world of the show start to crumble and fall into The Void, this dimension where everything irrelevant and considered a mistake ends up. Warner Bros. promised fans that there would be a movie that will segue into a new season, but no additional news has made many to fear the worst…until now.
Thankfully, one of the big reveals at Annecy 2024 was that the Gumball movie and revival were still in development. And thank heavens, too. I wasn’t that big of a fan of Gumball, but I hate seeing such a good show go without getting a decent ending!
Foster’s is Coming Back…with a Pre-school Show?
The big three of the 2010s Cartoon Network aren’t the only ones making a return. Foster’s Home for Imaginary Friends, one of the big names of the 2000s-era Cartoon Network, is returning for a new generation. There’s just one catch: it’s now a pre-school show.
Now going by the name Foster’s Funtime for Imaginary Friends, the premise of the new show seems to revolve around Bloo leading and teaching a group of pre-school-aged imaginary friends. If you’ve seen the original show, then you know distressing that concept is. Bloo is incredibly lazy, selfish, irresponsible, and ignorant. So, you can expect that a lot of humor will come from Bloo being his usual, idiotic self.
Scooby-Doo is getting a New Show, and No Mindy Kaling!
Velma is not only a disgrace to Scooby-Doo but also a crime against animation. Everyone hates the show and thinks Mindy Kaling made the world a worse place just by creating it. It’s the kind of show that could destroy lesser franchises, and even though Scooby-Doo can survive this, it looked like it’s rep would take a serious hit.
Guess what news came out of Annecy 2024 that says otherwise? Not just a new Scooby-Doo cartoon. A Scooby-Doo anime, Go-Go Mystery Machine.
The premise of the show is that while visiting Japan on a foodie trip, Shaggy and Scooby accidentally unleash hundreds of monsters that end up causing havoc across the entire country. Now, the duo have to work with Scooby’s uncle, Daisuke-Doo, and some new friends to help save the day. And hopefully, their trip.
We don’t know a lot about the series right now, but I think it’s going to be good for two reasons. Firstly, it’s inspired by anime, and as a fan of Japanese animation, I think that’s awesome. Secondly, the fact that this could wind up erasing the stain that was Velma from our collective psyche. I don’t know if Velma will continue in some form, but I am hoping that, for once, Warner Bros. listens to the fans and consigns that show to the dustbin of history where it belongs.
A Second Chance for Warner Bros. Animation?
For such a long time, its felt like Warner Bros has treated its animated works like garbage. They shut down Cartoon Network’s famous office. They purged a ton of famous cartoons from Max, encouraging fans to resort to third-party sites to watch them. And that’s not even the very shady and underhanded way they pulled the plug on Coyote vs. ACME. I’m still salty about that and will remain as such until someone releases it, legally or otherwise.
The bottom line is that Warner Bros. has become hated by many people in the entertainment industry, with many calling for David Zaslav to resign as CEO. The man doesn’t understand how popular cartoons are, and his entire company’s reputation has suffered. But while Zaslav might not be that good of a leader, at least a few higher-ups have enough sense to see how popular cartoons can be. The success of Fionna and Cake in 2023 has only validated that belief and encouraged the company to breathe new life into some of its best shows. And I think that could help repair the damage that Zaslav has done.
Time for the Toons to Show Zaslav How it’s Done.
While making sure that new shows and projects have a chance to make their part is important, sometimes it’s best to rely on things businesses know are going to succeed. Adventure Time, Regular Show, and Gumball have all been proven to be massive successes before. I grew up with Fosters. Generations have grown up with Scooby-Doo. And with the targeted demographic for those shows either adults or nearing adulthood, now’s the ideal time for them to profit off the nostalgia. And as a fan of these shows to varying extents, I want to see more content about them.
Keep in mind, this isn’t going to erase all the wrongdoings Warner has committed against animation in the past few years. We still want Coyote vs. ACME, after all. However, I feel like this is going to help heal the rift between the fans and the company. That being said, I don’t think animation will be truly safe at Warner Bros as long as someone like David Zaslav remains in charge. Here’s hoping that these revivals be what saves Warner Bros. reputation. And that Velma doesn’t get renewed. Mindy Kaling has done enough to Scooby-Doo.
