If there’s one IP that, sadly, seems to lack the level of cultural prominence it did a century prior, pointing a finger at the Looney Tunes franchise makes some sense, especially given the long-lasting reign of the characters over at Disney, Nintendo, and (checks notes) demon hunters who also apparently love K-pop. Every so often, something from the brand will materialize in some form or another, only to see such tragic roadblocks as a certain Warner Bros. President and CEO deciding to remove all classic Looney Tunes shorts from HBO Max last year, or the shelving of the fully completed film “Coyote vs. Acme” in 2023. Fortunately, a distributor named Ketchup Entertainment would soon come to the latter’s rescue, with it now set to release in August of 2026. That same help would find its way to “The Day the Earth Blew Up: A Looney Tunes Movie” as well, following a corporate restructuring in 2022, during which it was announced that any channels owned by Warner would not be releasing it in any form. Thank you, Ketchup Entertainment. Here we are.
READ MORE: The 150 Most Anticipated Films Of 2026
Looking for something decidedly old school? Something that reminds you of the way animation once was, the glory days of Looney Tunes, and simply a fun, mindless 91-minute jaunt led by two of the franchise’s stars? No, neither carries the name Bugs Bunny, the arguable centerpiece of the party; in fact, no mention of anyone outside of those occupying the relatively small cast can be found. This is almost solely a Porky Pig/Daffy Duck (both voiced by Eric Bauza) joint, and even an origin story of sorts; following a brief introduction meant to set up the larger plot, it’s shown how Porky and Daffy were once adopted by the kindly Farmer Jim (Fred Tatsciore), seemingly existing as nothing but a matte painting with an animated mouth and eyes, reacting to his new children as the years pass and we see their two personalities evolve. Did you know that the cause of Porky’s signature stutter was, apparently, a book falling on his head as a toddler?
Yet, life on the farm won’t stay in such a blissful state of childhood forever, as shown when Jim informs the two how it’s time for him to go off into the sunset literally, but not before his now-fully animated face stresses the importance of sticking together. Unfortunately, despite their intention to do just that, in the same house wherein Jim raised them both, an imminent home inspection fails to secure their long-term ownership when a massive hole, the rim lined with a curious green substance, is quickly discovered. Never mind the peculiar nature of the hole, or what may have been the cause, what can be done about their home, or lack thereof? Odd jobs don’t help; the duo has been fired from every job they’ve had. Let’s be honest, what did we expect?
A trip to a nearby diner might be just the distraction the two need. It’s here that another character strolls in, that being Petunia Pig (Candi Milo), Porky’s girlfriend from the days of the short films, and here now in a state of disappointment as the big ideas she has as a scientist working for the big candy enterprise Goodie Gum have repeatedly fallen on deaf ears for quite some time. However, she may very well be the lifeline Porky and Daffy need, with the two soon hired to work on the Goodie Gum assembly line, thus crawling out from the depths of financial despair and saving their home in the process. The end!
You should know better than to think this was how such a film would conclude; in reality, Daffy’s subsequent discovery while on a shift break of a certain suspicious-looking green goo perfectly matching that found around their roof’s hole not only raises a few eyebrows, but after then seeing how injesting the substance, now being hidden inside every stick of Goodie’s latest gum offerings, produces zombie-like qualities in those who’ve given it a chew, it’s enough to drive our panic-stricken duck into a state of paranoia some, including himself, might call…looney… I’ll show myself out.
This is the basic setup, whether that matters or not. If it’s your sole intention to see a legendary Porky/Daffy personality clash set inside a standalone Looney Tunes escapade with nary a sequel on the horizon and even a nice short film within, it’s doubtful you’ll walk away disappointed. This is classic animated comedy firing on all cylinders, with the animation unquestionably improved since its debut nearly a century prior, and the clear nods to 1950s-era sci-fi are a fantastic bonus. There are some well-placed cutaways throughout, such as a third-act news anchor (Carlos Alazraqui) delivering a chuckle or two, as well as that short film, simply a montage of their various pre-Goodie Gum odd jobs, packaged nicely into a hilarious several-minute escape. Even though one shouldn’t expect any major Easter eggs referencing the greater Looney Tunes-iverse (if that’s even a word), the fourth wall does find itself broken time and again, such as when, in trademark fashion, a member of the audience stands up to voice his displeasure over the plot’s progression. Did we mention the extraterrestrial culprit behind these shenanigans? Why, that would be The Invader (Peter MacNicol), his mask of bravado hiding his love of boba tea. Yes, that’s part of the film. Trust me, it works.
Director Pete Browngardt cut his teeth on 82 episodes of his “Looney Tunes Cartoons” HBO Max program between 2020 and 2024, and the care seen in his previous endeavor bleeds over nicely into “The Day the Earth Blew Up”, even retaining series co-composer Joshua Moshier for the film’s excellent score, itself packed with recognizable motifs from the glory days. There’s nothing to complain about when taking in a film such as this. This film stands comfortably alongside its ancestors, a perfect detour in a time when it’s most needed and a wonderful experience overall.
Thank you, Looney Tunes. It’s wonderful to see you again. [A+]
