It’s official: Animaniacs is making a comeback. The iconic cartoon from Amblin Television and Warner Bros. Animation—or rather, a brand-new version of it—has received a two-season straight-to-series order at Hulu, with Steven Spielberg returning as an executive producer. Hulu’s new take on Animaniacs, set to debut on the streaming service in 2020, will be its first original series for families.
As part of their deal, Hulu and Warner Bros. have also agreed to make Hulu the exclusive streaming home to all 99 episodes of the original Animaniacs, along with Pinky and the Brain, Pinky, Elmyra and the Brain and the whole Tiny Toon Adventures collection. Those shows, which previously streamed on Netflix, are available on Hulu in their entirety as of today.
Allow Hulu’s announcement to refresh your memory vis-à-vis Animaniacs, which made its TV debut in 1993 and went on to become a beloved, Peabody- and Emmy-winning children’s series:
The Warner brothers, Yakko and Wakko, and the Warner sister, Dot—three inseparable, irascible siblings—have a great time wreaking havoc and mayhem in the lives of everyone they meet. They have been locked away in the Warner Bros. water tower for a very long time, but they have found a way to escape. And escape they do—every day! Causing chaos and comic confusion, Yakko, Wakko and Dot run loose in the city, turning the world into their personal playground. And fan-favorite characters Pinky and the Brain will also return to make appearances in each episode.
“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,” said Craig Erwich, Hulu’s SVP of Content, in a statement. “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 #1 streaming destination for premium animated content.”
“I am so pleased and proud that Animaniacs will have a home at Hulu,” Spielberg added. “Together with Warner Bros., we look to bring new audiences and longtime fans into this wild world of Yakko, Wakko and Dot. I am also excited that the full library of Animaniacs and Tiny Toon Adventures episodes are included in the deal.”
We first heard about a possible Animaniacs revival over the summer, with reports that Warner Bros. Animation and Amblin Television were in the early stages of bringing the show back. At that point in time, there was no network (or streaming service) attached. Considering the unstoppable power of nostalgia in television today, Animaniacs is a great get for Hulu.
Celebrate the return of Yakko, Wakko and Dot with these GIFs and memes from the series.