Can you believe that Looney Tunes is almost 100 years old?
First launched in the 1930s as short theatrical cartoons shown before feature films, the anarchic animated shorts quickly became a cornerstone of American popular culture. Characters such as Bugs Bunny, Daffy Duck and Porky Pig emerged from a golden-era studio system that prized comic timing, visual invention and personality over sentimentality.
Decades later, those same shorts found new life on television, introducing the characters to generations who first encountered them on Saturday mornings rather than in cinemas. Long before streaming or social media, the franchise had already proved its ability to adapt without ever losing its identity.
Now, as it nears its centenary, Daffy and Porky are stepping into the spotlight. They lead The Day the Earth Blew Up, the franchise’s first fully animated theatrical feature, returning Looney Tunes to hand-drawn 2D animation and a classic buddy-comedy format.
Rather than assembling the full ensemble, the film narrows its focus to the chaotic chemistry between Daffy and Porky, giving the long-established pairing a new backstory in which they grow up together on a farm after being taken in by a kindly farmer. Framed as a fast-paced comedic two-hander, it leans into their familiar dynamic while grounding it with a shared emotional history.
For Canadian voice actor Eric Bauza, 46, who voices both characters in the film, that tighter focus is part of what has allowed the franchise to endure.
“These are characters that have been around before I was born and will continue to be around when I’m long gone,” he told The Standard. “At the core, they’re just funny characters through and through, and that’s why they’ve lasted.”
“I always compare Looney Tunes to telling your favourite knock-knock joke,” Bauza adds. “It’s always going to make you laugh, guaranteed, especially when it’s in careful hands.”
That balance, he believes, is what allows the characters to evolve without losing their identity. “The integrity of who the characters are never really changes,” he says. “But the world around them does.”
The decision to return to traditional animation was also deliberate. In an industry dominated by glossy CGI, Bauza describes the hand-drawn approach as “priceless”.
“You can watch it over and over again and catch something new each time,” he says. “That kind of detail can only come from the artists behind it.”
Stepping into some of animation’s most recognisable voices still comes with pressure. In addition to Daffy and Porky, Bauza also performs Bugs, Marvin the Martian and Tweety. Of all the characters, he admits Bugs Bunny is the most daunting.
“Everyone knows exactly what he’s supposed to sound like,” he says. “You can’t just jump into it. You’ve got to take a beat and stick the landing.”
Daffy, by contrast, comes more naturally. “With Daffy, it’s almost like he’s got an inner-ear problem,” Bauza laughs. “He’s always at 11.”
Rather than reinventing the characters, Bauza sees his role as one of guardianship. He frequently credits original voice actor Mel Blanc, who passed away in 1989 and is referred to as “the man of 1,000 voices” on his own tombstone, along with legendary animators Chuck Jones and Bob Clampett, for laying the foundations that still define Looney Tunes today.
“Being recognised for this work feels like a love letter to them,” Bauza says. “If this film helps people remember the value of these characters, then that’s a win.”
Despite shifting studio priorities and wider industry uncertainty, Looney Tunes continues to find new audiences, not through reinvention, but through familiarity.
The film’s release also comes amid renewed confidence in the franchise. Ketchup Entertainment, which is distributing The Day the Earth Blew Up, has also stepped in to rescue Coyote vs. Acme after it was previously shelved.
“For a while it felt like they were fading,” Bauza admits. “But then you realise they never really go away.”
Ultimately, his hope is that this latest chapter will introduce a new generation to the franchise. “I’d love for kids to go home, find the original shorts, pick up a pencil and draw their own funny characters,” he says. “That’s how it all starts.”
The Day the Earth Blew Up is out in UK cinemas nationwide now.
