The Best Classic Cartoon Duo Getting A New Movie This Year
They're back!
Tom and Jerry is one of history’s most beloved and recognizable cartoons. Its simple cat and mouse premise is enjoyed by both kids and adults, and now it seems the classic cartoon is getting another incarnation. Warner Bros. Entertainment announced that a new movie based on the cartoon is coming to DVD this November. The film titled Tom & Jerry: Snowman’s Land marks the second major project from Warner Animation to get a seasonal special in two months. The new Tom and Jerry film comes after the announcement of Trick-Or-Treat, Scooby-Doo! The film centers on a snow mouse coming to life and interacting with our two fan favorites.
Tom and Jerry was recently made into a live-action film. The film was directed by Fantastic Four’s Tim Story and starred actress Chloe Grace Moretz. Although it featured two of the most recognizable cartoon characters in animation history, the live-adaption only grossed $136 million worldwide. The film was part of Warner Bros. 2021 plan to release all of its films both theatrically and on HBO Max. In regards to critics, many of them weren’t pleased with the film’s screenplay and use of human characters. However, some praised the film for its use of nostalgia.
Created in 1940 by William Hanna and Joseph Barbera, Tom and Jerry is known for its 161 theatrical shorts by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer. The two characters have appeared in an multitude of incarnations over the past several decades. Their first feature-length theatrical film, Tom & Jerry: The Movie, was released in 1992 and grossed $3.6 million on a $3.5 million budget. On February 20, 2021, Warner Bros. released two Tom and Jerry shorts on HBO Max to honor the 81st anniversary of the original animated shorts. The 2021 shorts shared the animation style of HBO Max’s Looney Tunes Cartoons. Throughout the years, the Tom and Jerry cartoon has become synonymous with the old “cat and mouse” metaphor.
Warner Animation’s announcement of a new Tom and Jerry animated project comes as a new regime has taken over the parent company. So far, animation fans have seen many projects disappear from HBO Max. It was reported recently that the upcoming Batman animated project from original Batman: The Animated Series creator Bruce Tim would no longer premiere on Warner Bros.’ streaming service. It’s still unclear whether this is a mandate from new Warner Bros. CEO David Zaslav or if there were plans to remove several animated projects from the streamer before the new regime took over. The announcement of another direct-to-DVD animated project and no word on whether it will appear on HBO Max only just adds fuel to the already expanding fire.
The new Tom and Jerry film will be directed and produced by Darrell Van Citters, who also worked on The Tom and Jerry Show. The series garnered mixed reviews from critics, with some expressing their displeasure at the switch from hand-drawn animation to flash animation. The new film looks to kick off the holiday season with a hopefully exciting adventure that both kids and adults will enjoy.
