I and plenty of other Looney Tunes fans have been celebrating and for good reason. The 2025 movie schedule gave us the first new picture from the franchise in years with The Day the Earth Blew Up, and recently, there's even been renewed talk about a possible sale and eventual release of Coyote Vs Acme, which has been in limbo for some time.
Because of that, it should be all good vibes over here, but now there are rumors Warner Bros might make a more drastic move involving Bugs Bunny, Daffy Duck and the entire crew, and I have a lot of mixed feelings about it. Let's talk everything out.
Warner Bros. Might Be Looking For A New Home For The Looney Tunes
As of late, there have been reports that Warner Bros. is looking to sell Coyote vs. Acme to Ketchup Entertainment, with the still-in-progress deal being valued at around $50 million. As Coyote vs. Acme’s previous price tag came in between $75 - $80 million during its bidding frenzy last year, it would represent a big change in the asking price.
Well, hang onto your beaks my friends, because per a tip from The InSneider (via ComingSoon), that reduced price tag could be a small part of a larger deal. In fact, Sneider claims he's heard Warner Bros is trying to sell off its entire stake in Looney Tunes. In theory, that could explain why the cartoons were removed from Max. Here's a portion of his quote...
I’m told that part of the reason WB decided to sell Coyote vs. Acme to Ketchup rather than take a tax credit a month before Tax Day (April 15) is because the studio is trying to sell off the Looney Tunes altogether.
Now, I have mixed feelings because there is some upside to consider here. Warner Bros hasn't exactly put a ton of effort into the Looney Tunes franchise recently. Ketchup Entertainment, on the other hand, quite obviously put a lot more love and care into their recent work, as I noted in my The Day the Earth Blew Up review.
I’d like to think that this move would put the series in hands that truly appreciate it, considering we actually have a new Looney Tunes adventure in theaters right this very moment. In fact, it would be really nice for the rights to belong to a company that sees using the gang as a top priority. Maybe we could get on a more regular rhythm of movie releases, tv shows and more. That would be fantastic, but it would also come with a major risk: our favorite merry pranksters no longer have that historic shield to protect them.
The Looney Tunes Sale Would Be A Huge Change For The Studio, And Potentially The Brand
While I’m grateful to Ketchup Entertainment’s part in saving The Day the Earth Blew Up, my main fear is that its relatively small stature as a studio might be super limiting. Keep in mind, Warner Bros. Animation produced this recent box office release, on an estimated $15 million production budget, with Ketchup swooping in to distribute the picture.
The stakes are considerably low for a major studio like Warner Bros., but could end up being a larger deal for an independent studio such as this. While Coyote vs. Acme is allegedly on the block for $50 million, it cost an estimated $70 - $72 million to make. The company’s most recent production with a licensed IP, Hellboy: The Crooked Man, cost $20 million to make - and that’s exactly the example I’m afraid will be repeated.
Warner Bros is big enough and has enough going on that it can ride the highs and lows, but if a smaller studio like Ketchup takes over the rights, it means each of its projects really needs to work. It means the box office needs to be there or else there could be much larger consequences for the franchise, especially if the company tries to make something closer in budget to Coyote vs Acme than The Day The Earth Blew Up.
Late last year, Collider reported that a “super secret Looney Tunes project” was in the works at Warner Bros. Pictures Animation. Not much is known about that concept, but it could be presumed that if this sale is legit and goes through, Ketchup Entertainment will be the ones footing the bill. In that case, the best case scenario would be the studio might put up all the money itself to make it happen. If it's something lower or mid-budget, they could probably do that.
If this next project is really expensive, however, the worst case would be a co-financing scenario that could tangle the rights of the Looney Tunes in a quagmire that would make Amazon-MGM’s previous James Bond stalemate sound like a stirring rendition of “Those Endearing Young Charms.” And yes, that includes the comedically timed explosion.
We still have no clue just how valid this report happens to be, so this could be a lot of fretting for nothing. Still, the idea of selling Looney Tunes goes with David Zaslav’s infamous “open for business” decree, and it could leave the storied franchise in new uncertain hands.
For now, I won’t focus on this potential scenario too hard, as it is a time of celebration.The Day the Earth Blew Up: A Looney Tunes Movie is out in theaters, and we might be getting closer to seeing Coyote vs. Acme. The pressure may be even greater on these movies to perform, as the entire brand could depend on those grosses. But at least for today, that’s not all, folks.
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