Max's Looney Tunes Controversy Explained: Why A Huge Mistake Left Fans Furious
These past few months haven't been kind to "Looney Tunes" fans, and one recent controversy gave them more cause for concern. According to Variety, Warner Bros. Discovery erroneously announced that the beloved cartoons would leave the Max streaming service in the near future. While a subsequent press release confirmed that the announcement was a mistake, it didn't stop fans from believing that WBD CEO David Zaslav has it out for the animated franchise.
Of course, these concerns arguably stem from legitimate fears. The announcement came after WBD decided to scrap "Coyote vs. Acme" from its release schedule, even though the film is finished and ready to go. The Wile E. Coyote movie might never see the light of day unless WBD finds a new buyer for it. As such, many fans believe that the company is capable of dropping other "Looney Tunes" titles from its streaming service. For now, though, 2003's "Looney Tunes: Back In Action" is the only related property that will leave Max.
In short, most "Looney Tunes" cartoons aren't going anywhere — at least not for the time being. However, the false announcement highlighted some fans' concerns about WBD's current business practices and what they could mean for the franchise's future.
Looney Tunes fans believe David Zaslav is bad for the franchise
While Warner Bros. Discovery has assured Max subscribers that "Looney Tunes" will remain on Max, some social media users remain doubtful about its long-term future on the platform. On X (formerly known as Twitter), @nemalki suggested that the first announcement wasn't a mistake at all, implying that the decision was reversed after executives saw the outcry: "Someone just decided to type out 'Looney Tunes' and 'The Looney Tunes Show' accidentally in a press release just on a whim. Just a few keystrokes made 'in error.'"
Moreover, some X users, including @RyanRibbity, believe that the WBD CEO is launching a crusade against the cartoon franchise. "I'm convinced David Zaslav has some tragic Looney Tunes related backstory at this point because he seems to have it f**** out for these guys," they wrote. This view was echoed by @tylergilfoster, who encouraged more people to protest against WBD's unpopular decisions moving forward, hoping it would help reverse them.
Of course, the "Coyote vs. Acme" and "Looney Tunes" controversies aren't the only issues people have with WBD regarding properties being erased. Last year, the company scrapped "Batgirl" and "Scoob! Holiday Haunt," and both projects remain stuck in limbo. This has raised some concerns about the future of other WBD-owned properties becoming disposable, even if they're complete and ready to see the light of day.