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Max Strikes Again, Removing More Family Content From the Streamer
By Movieguide® Contributor
In another move to push Max away from child-oriented content, the streaming service has gotten rid of its LOONEY TUNES animated shorts.
A representative confirmed the content removal to Deadline and explained that this is part of Max’s “new plan whereby the streamer will prioritize adult and family programming.”
The streamer scrubbed animated shorts that aired from 1930 through 1969 but hasn’t completely removed all LOONEY TUNES content. Shows like LOONEY TUNES CARTOONS, NEW LOONEY TUNES and BABY LOONEY TUNES are still available to watch.
This decision to move away from kids’ content isn’t entirely surprising. Max recently declined to renew its deal with SESAME STREET, leaving the beloved children’s show without a distributor.
“It has been a wonderful, creative experience working with everyone at SESAME STREET on the iconic children’s series, and we are thrilled to be able to keep some of the library series on Max in the U.S,” a spokesperson for Max said. “As we’ve launched Max though and based on consumer usage and feedback, we’ve had to prioritize our focus on stories for adults and families, and so new episodes from SESAME STREET, at this time, are not as core to our strategy.”
READ MORE: SESAME STREET LOOKING FOR NEW PARTNER AFTER HBO DECLINES DEAL RENEWAL
However, it does come after public comments from Max executives claiming they were focused on creating kids’ content.
“We know families want to spend time together, so we’ve created a destination for multigenerational stories that pull families together through the power of imagination,” Warner Bros. Global Kids, Young Adults and Classics President Tom Ascheim, said.
This isn’t the only LOONEY TUNES drama Max and its parent company, Warner Bros., have found themselves involved in.
The studio pulled COYOTE VS. ACME from their release schedule last year, despite it being completed and ready for premiere. The reason? A $30 million tax write-off.
“I appreciate them letting us make it, but don’t let us make this thing that we fall in love with and then not show it,” star Will Forte told MovieWeb. “I would understand if the thing [was bad], but it’s really good. Maybe somehow we get to see it at some point. I hope people do. I was really proud of it.”
Adding insult to injury for many LOONEY TUNES fans is the release and swift removal of THE DAY THE EARTH BLEW UP: A LOONEY TUNES MOVIE from theaters.
The movie is the first ever all-animated LOONEY TUNES movie to be given a theatrical release and is performing well, pulling in $3.17 million domestically on its opening weekend. It’s made $5 million total so far.
Despite this success, Warner Bros. planned to pull the movie from theaters on March 19, after just five days in theaters. The studio relented after public outcry on social media, and artist Michael Ruocco, who worked on THE DAY THE EARTH BLEW UP, confirmed it has at least one more week in theaters.
“It’s technically STILL in a limited release window!,” Ruocco posted on BlueSky. “The only way it’ll stick around and continue to perform is if people go and buy tickets.”
READ MORE: NEW LOONEY TUNES MOVIE WILL MAKE ITS WAY TO THEATERS
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