Uncover the Epic Battle for Earth in a Looney Tunes Movie

Production Challenges and Resilience

Director Peter Browngardt recounts the intense battles through corporate mergers, budget cuts, strikes, and a pandemic to bring The Day the Earth Blew Up to life. At least three to four times during production, he was on the edge, waiting for that dreaded phone call to shut down the movie. It was a rocky journey indeed. With a modest budget of about $15 million, they were the last ones on the list when Warner Brothers was deep in debt and cutting projects. But their small size allowed them to keep going. Eventually, they got permission to shop the film around to independent buyers.

After its world premiere at the Annecy Animation Film Festival, Ketchup Entertainment stepped in and snatched up domestic rights. This indie distributor, not known for kids' programming, gave new life to the film. It will have an Oscar-qualifying run on December 13 before its 1,500-screen bow in February. It's a surreal experience to have made an independent film through Warner Brothers.

Unique Characters and Story

The film features Daffy Duck and Porky Pig in an original story involving a secret alien plot to take over the Earth via mind-control bubblegum. Browngardt and his team knew they had to do an emotional story while keeping the Looney Tunes style. Daffy and Porky have to save the planet without driving each other insane. They didn't want to change these iconic characters; at the end, they are still Daffy Duck and Porky Pig, just with a new experience.

Staying true to the animation style was crucial. Browngardt believes in not redesigning Looney Tunes; they are already perfect. He got every Looney Tune short and used them as a reference. They also took inspiration from other movies like Dumb and Dumber and Borat, with strong, iconic characters and an emotional throughline.

The Writers' Room and Crew

There are many screenwriters credited on this movie. Peter Browngardt worked with Kevin Costello on an early draft and then made the whole film over Zoom during the pandemic. Everyone on the crew, from storyboard artists to writers, played a crucial role. Browngardt fought with the studio to get them all credit as they are the ones writing the words and actions for the animated mouths. Animators should be in the WGA, he believes, as the best cartoony humor comes from them.

The film has an old-school Looney Tunes feel with referential humor and breaking the fourth wall, reminiscent of Nickelodeon and Cartoon Network toons. It was made quickly and cheaply, like an 11-minute cartoon for Cartoon Network. The crew approached it with their generation's style of humor, keeping only the good jokes that made them laugh.

Potential for a Sequel

The film ends with a nod towards a potential sequel, but Browngardt isn't sure about the future. He left the studio in February, the day he approved the final version. He doesn't know what the future holds for Looney Tunes at Warner Bros. Discovery. But he believes that with the right hands, these characters have a great future. One obstacle he found was that many kids don't know who Daffy Duck is, as Warner Brothers didn't focus on keeping them front and center like Disney did with Mickey Mouse.