The Looney Tunes brand has been bogged down by public controversy in recent times. Coyote vs. Acme (2026) was originally shelved by Warner Bros. back in 2023 for a $30 million tax write off, despite production costs of $72 million. This news was received by a swarm of angry fans and cinephiles. United in their cause for the release of original creative content, strictly opposed against art being written off and locked away to ease the financial burden of billion dollar corporations. At long last, the film will be released theatrically.
Akin to much Looney Tunes media, the premise is simple – after all, it’s animation directed towards kids. In this outing, Daffy Duck (Eric Bauza) and Porky Pig (also, Eric Bauza) team up in a buddy-cop style outing absent of the beloved Bugs Bunny. The Day the Earth Blew Up harnesses traditional 2-D hand-drawn animation to visualize the ever ridiculous escapades the unlikely heroes find themselves in. This time, Porky and Daffy must uncover a secret alien mind-control plot occurring at their local bubble gum factory. Utilizing nostalgic visual substance, modern references and breaking the fourth wall allows the release to captivate both audiences old and new, a little something in there for everyone and plenty of jokes to fly over kids heads.
Directed by Peter Browngardt (Steven Universe), much of ambition can be found inside the Looney Tunes humour. Whilst leaning into recognisable slapstick, stereotypical gags and villain tropes, genuine effort highlights a surprising heart throughout the 91 minute runtime. Generating an electric momentum, the film only compromises itself when at its laziest, revisiting the banality of boomer humour that pokes fun at social media influencers, despite saying nothing new in the process. Admittedly it’s a small segment in a brief, but brilliant, montage, yet guarantees eye-rolls nonetheless.
The Day the Earth Blew Up (2025) is best when approached with an open mind and low expectations. Those anticipating a richly layered film tackling philosophies and emotional relationships should look elsewhere, but for those in need of quick family-fun, the film delivers. Animation has rightfully received an uproar of respect within the last decade, as Hollywood slowly pivots towards the genre as a refreshing vessel for storytelling, and this new Looney Tunes outing almost contributes to this list. Despite being simplistic in story, an understandably self-imposed crutch, vibrant visuals feature throughout, demonstrating a magnificent talent within the team to creatively conjure up laugh-out-loud gags and scenic beauty simultaneously. At times this feat almost makes you question if a better film rests inside, if a commitment to mildly more mature elements, or taking itself more seriously, would actually allow the animation to be appreciated in its entirety.
Overall, The Day the Earth Blew Up (2025) offers a raucous adventure to a diverse audience. Recognising that audiences who grew up on the original Looney Tunes may provide their own children with similar entertainment allows the film to tackle entertaining both sets of fans. As superficial as the storyline may be, it never becomes generic, with genuine twists scattered to offer a semblance of plot structure outside of the wacky, or should we say looney, narrative. From delightful visuals referencing a variety of media, and jokes of a both sincere and sneaky nature, this movie may be a genuine surprise for many. It might not top the box office, but it sets up enough intrigue to revisit fan-favourite animated characters when they take a Roger Rabbit-style 3-D leap in 2026’s upcoming live-action Coyote vs. Acme…
Looney Tunes: The Day The Earth Blew Up will be in UK & Irish cinemas from 13 February
