Introduced in 1930, Looney Tunes has now been around for almost a century, but the last few years have been rough for this goofy crew. 2021’s Space Jam: A New Legacy wasn’t exactly the brand resurgence that Warner Bros. clearly thought it was going to be, and despite being very well-received by those who saw it, Coyote vs. Acme was shelved for tax purposes instead of receiving a release of any kind. At this point, it’s hard to imagine why kids would even be familiar with the Looney Tunes characters in the present day. Random reairings of old shorts on the Cartoon Network? The occasional family trip to Six Flags? Oversized T-shirts in mall kiosks? The Looney Tunes might be iconic, but their relevance to a younger audience is arguably at an all-time low.
Which is what makes The Day the Earth Blew Up: A Looney Tunes Movie such a fascinating endeavor. Not only is this the first ever fully-animated feature-length Looney Tunes film of original material released theatrically worldwide, it also feels like a new introduction to these characters that never needed a reintroduction before now. Much like Disney’s Mickey Mouse series of animated shorts that run from 2013-2019, which took a character kids recognized and reinvigorated for a different sensibility, The Day the Earth Blew Up also brings these characters into 2025 with a more modern sense of humor and look. It’s just the type of film to make the Looney Tunes relevant once more.
What Is ‘The Day the Earth Blew Up’ About?

The Day the Earth Blew Up narrows in on just two Looney Tunes characters: Daffy Duck and Porky Pig (both voiced by Eric Bauza), who we actually get an abbreviated origin story for. The two barnyard animals were raised by Farmer Jim (Fred Tatasciore), a character who looks like a mixture of a Ren & Stimpy cartoon and Tom of Finland biker drawings. The film nicely sets up who Daffy and Porky are for the uninitiated, while also giving us some great gags to start with in this introductory montage. Before leaving them, Father Jim told the duo to always stick together and take care of their home.
Cut to the current day and the house Porky and Daffy share is falling into disrepair, and the boys are in danger of losing their home after a poor home standards review. In order to pay for the repairs, the duo get their first job at a nearby gum factory, thanks to a chance meeting with Petunia Pig (Candi Milo), who is trying to find the next great gum flavor and whom Porky has a crush on. However, Daffy discovers that the factory’s new flavor of gum has been compromised by The Invader (Peter MacNicol), an alien who is utilizing this gum to turn humans into braindead zombies. Together, Daffy, Porky, and Petunia have to save the world from this gum and the alien using it for his nefarious means.
‘The Day the Earth Blew Up’ Feels Like a Fresh Start For the Looney Tunes

Image via Warner Bros.

The Day the Earth Blew Up has to do a lot of things for this brand. It has to introduce what will likely be a new audience to Daffy and Porky, and explain their looney dynamics; it has to at least somewhat embrace the sense of humor that has made the Looney Tunes a classic of animation for almost a century; and it has to do all that while for the first time ever, spreading these characters into a feature-length narrative. Thankfully, The Day the Earth Blew Up manages all of this naturally. Director Peter Browngardt started figuring out this film while working on the Looney Tunes Cartoons series he created, and it’s clear he had a deep affinity and appreciation for these characters right from the beginning.
Browngardt’s previous work also makes him a great choice to update these characters, from creating the surreal Cartoon Network series, Uncle Grandpa, to working on such shows as Chowder, Clarence, and Tom and Jerry Special Shorts. His style seems to be very much based in the classics, while still remaining delightfully odd and oft-kilter, which is a great place for these Looney Tunes characters to be at in 2025. It’s this sense of humor that makes Browngardt and his team of writers able to make modern jokes about boba tea or Porky and Daffy becoming influencers, without ever making you want to roll your eyes. It’s clever and strange, but also naturally stupid and absurd — which makes for a great combination.
It’s also truly impressive that Porky and Daffy, who are often relegated to supporting characters and have almost exclusively existed in short form, can translate so well into feature-length. Whenever The Day the Earth Blew Up feels like it’s running out of steam or reaching a natural conclusion, the story finds a new, fun twist to explore instead, without ever seeming like Browngardt and his team are spreading this story out too thin. If there are any hiccups, it comes in the third act, when it falls into more standard story beats and attempts to wrap everything up in a perfect bow. Story has never been the strong suit of the Looney Tunes, but it’s done quite well here, even with a few bumps at the end.
‘The Day the Earth Blew Up’ Is What These Characters Needed

Image via Warner Bros. Discovery

After all these years, it’s wonderful to have another adventure with these characters, and one that makes them feel as vibrant and lively as ever. Daffy has always embraced his looney side, but he’s arguably never been loonier than he is here. Porky is a perfect straight man, and works as a beautiful counterpoint to Daffy (a dynamic that we also saw work quite well through Plucky and Hamm in Tiny Toon Adventures). Eric Bauza is incredible here as both leads, and he truly makes it sound as though Mel Blanc is still voicing these characters. Candi Milo’s Petunia brings an extra burst of strangeness to this story, and Peter MacNicol is gloriously over-the-top as The Invader—especially once we learn his big plan and have to deal with his frustrations over his plans falling apart.
If the last few decades have proven anything in regards to the Looney Tunes, it’s that they’re still ever-present, they’re just not as warmly remembered as they used to be. And that’s a damn shame, especially when they’re being thrown into projects that aren’t of the quality they deserve, or the worthwhile projects get left on the shelf. But The Day the Earth Blew Up: A Looney Tunes Movie shows just how much life there still is in these characters and this world, and that they’re malleable enough to continue providing entertainment to every generation. The Day the Earth Blew Up is the welcome back that the Looney Tunes have long deserved.
The Day the Earth Blew Up: A Looney Tunes Movie comes to theaters on March 14.

The Day the Earth Blew Up: A Looney Tunes Movie

The Day the Earth Blew Up is a great return for the Looney Tunes, updating them for a new genereation.

Release Date

March 14, 2024

Runtime

91 Minutes

Director

Peter Browngardt

Writers

Kevin Costello

Pros & Cons

The Day the Earth Blew Up reintroduces these characters in welcome and hilarious ways.
The sense of humor is both based in the classic shorts, but modern without relying too much on references.
Eric Bauza’s vocal performance as Porky and Daffy is incredible.

The third act does feel a bit too formulaic for this type of story.