Warner Bros. Discovery has made the extreme decision to remove the complete collection of classic Looney Tunes shorts from its Max streaming platform. This decision affects nearly four decades of animated content, ranging from the 1930s to the late 1960s, the golden era of animation. All of the classic shorts featuring all the beloved characters, including Bugs Bunny, Daffy Duck, and Porky Pig, among many others, have been removed, which is a significant change in Max’s content strategy.
This action to eliminate these classic shorts is all part of Max’s broader strategy to place greater focus on adult and family content. Despite earlier assurances that the classic programming would always be present, the site has shifted its priorities. This comes as Max attempts to draw more adults, viewing children’s programming as less trendy with viewership.
Certain spin-off iterations of Looney Tunes, such as “The Sylvester and Tweety Mysteries,” “New Looney Tunes,” “Tiny Toons Looniversity,” and “Bugs Bunny Builders,” remain on the platform. However, the removal of the original shorts has prompted backlash and disappointment from audiences. Looney Tunes is viewed by many as a cultural institution, with some of the original shorts having won Oscars and being deeply ingrained in American animation history.
This move is not the first time Warner Bros. Discovery has come under fire for its treatment of classic animation. In September 2024, the company closed down its Boomerang streaming service, which was dedicated to classic cartoons. It also removed content from the Cartoon Network website, directing users to sign up for Max instead. This has resulted in the loss of access to a wide variety of flash games and episodes of both newer and older programs.
The timing of the decision also overlaps with the theatrical release of “The Day the Earth Blew Up: A Looney Tunes Story,” a film that was initially bound for Max but was offloaded to an independent distributor due to shifting priorities following the merger of Warner Bros. and Discovery. The film’s poor box office has further highlighted the shifting priorities away from traditional Looney Tunes content.
The fans expressed their discontent on social media, demanding that Looney Tunes be treated as a cultural treasure accessible to everyone. The removal has also heralded discussion of the shrinking kids’ animation business at Warner Bros. Discovery, following its cancellation of new Sesame Street episodes and shelving projects like “Coyote vs. Acme” due to their costliness.
While a few of the older Looney Tunes shorts can still be found on websites like YouTube, their removal from Max has given many the feeling that a piece of animation history is being lost. The move is part of a larger trend in the world of streaming, as the services increasingly favor shows aimed at adults over older children’s programs.
