It's time for Animaniacs. Again. Hulu is partnering with Warner Bros. and Amblin to bring back the slap-happy cartoon series with two seasons starting in 2020. Steven Spielberg will once again serve as executive producer, overseeing the new adventures of Yakko, Wakko, and Dot. Hulu's bringing the series back two decades after the end of its original run as part of an expanded focus on original family programming.
"We cannot wait to work with Steven Spielberg and the entire Amblin and Warner Bros. teams to bring more sketches, catchphrases, songs and laughs from the Animaniacs to kids and adults everywhere," Craig Erwich, senior VP of content at Hulu, said in a press release. "Now one of the most beloved, inventive and funny animated franchises in history, Animaniacs and its cast of witty characters can live on, on Hulu. This marks yet another big move for us as we continue our efforts to be the No. 1 streaming destination for premium animated content."
It's a shrewd move for Hulu that could appeal to fans of the original Animaniacs as well as Kids These Days. On the other hand, contemporary shows like Adventure Time, Gravity Falls, and Steven Universe have elevated the standards for both humor and heart in kids' cartoons since the last time the Animaniacs emerged from their home in the Warner Bros. water tower. Whether these new seasons will cement the three sibs' status as entertainment icons or prove that their antics were best left back in the '90s, I'm excited to see the result. Until then, I'm going to watch the U.S. capitals song again.
The deal also means that Hulu has become the streaming home for the original Animaniacs seasons, as well as shows like Pinky & The Brain and Tiny Toon Adventures. No word on whether Freakazoid, the True Best Cartoon, will also reappear one day, but I'm going to keep my big white cartoon glove fingers crossed.
