Rocio Mateos
It’s time for ‘Animaniacs!’ Hold on to your seats, because the beloved 1990s cartoon is reportedly coming back. Animaniacs is coming back to our screens with a brand new version hand in hand with Steven Spielberg. Get ready for some brand new adventures of Wakko, Yakko, and Dot.
According to Indiewire, the mega-director and producer is in talks with Warner Bros. Animation to bring ‘Animaniacs’ back to life. Spielberg, who developed the original show as a follow-up to his successful ‘Tiny Toon Adventures.’ The decision of producing a reboot follows the popularity the show gained after landing on Netflix last year.
There’s no word yet on where the new version could air since it’s still in the “early stages of development.” But it’s a great deal a lot of networks – including Netflix – wouldn’t like to miss, as it fits the 90s series revival we’ve been seeing lately.
‘Animaniacs’ would return 20 years after it last aired
If everything turns out as expected, the reboot of the animated series would arrive next year. They would be the first new episodes of the show in 20 years.
The show, also known as ‘Steven Spielberg Presents Animaniacs’ ran from 1993 to 1995 on Fox Kids and later moved to Kids’ WB until 1998. With a total of 99 episodes, the series consisted of various cartoon segments, all tied together by the Warner brothers Yakko and Wakko, and Warner sister Dot. One of the segments was ‘Pinky and the Brain,’ which got its own spinoff, aired on The WB.
The creator of the show, Tom Ruegger, said that the characters were inspired by his own three children. Voice stars included Rob Paulsen, Tress MacNeille, Jess Harnell, Sherri Stoner and Maurice LaMarche. Additionally, the show had an amazing score work behind, with original songs and music.
A cartoon for the entire family
‘Animaniacs’ was popular among kids, but it was also really appealing for adults, thanks to its intelligent humor and sophisticated references. Just re-watch it on Netflix and check it out for yourself. I’d bet there are a couple or two – or dozens – of jokes you missed when you were little.
During its run, the show won a total of eight Daytime Emmy Awards. The “sparkling characters, witty dialogue, and stunning production” earned it a Peabody Award in 1993. The award also recognized the efforts of the Ruegger’s series to raise the quality bar of cartoons, by paying attention to characterization, illustration, and narrative storytelling.
