For the 27th anniversary of Animaniacs, Hulu released a trailer that revealed the updated character art for the reboot of the beloved 90s cartoon. Premiering almost 30 years ago in 1993, the series centers on the chaotic antics of the Warner sibling trio, Yakko, Wakko, and Dot, who played alongside the likes of Pinky and the Brain. The reboot is hopefully airing on the platform in November. It is part of Hulu’s expansion of cartoon classics in its existing library like Tiny Toon Adventures and the Animaniacs spinoff, Pinky and the Brain.
Childhood fans raised on the show can rest easy knowing that the original voice actors are once again returning to their respective, treasured characters. In a tweet back in 2019, the Animanicast podcast led by Rob Paulsen, the voice of Yakko and Pinky, revealed that he and the cast had been working on the series reboot. Jess Harnell and Tress MacNeille are returning to play Wakko and Dot, respectively. Additionally, Maurice LaMarche is returning to his iconic character, the Brain. Besides these core characters, little is known about the other supporting characters returning to the cherished Animaniacs universe.
In a recent tweet, Hulu dropped the anniversary trailer for Animaniacs, which featured a dramatic reveal of the upcoming reboot’s updated animation style. Although the updated visuals appear to modernize the new show’s overall look, Hulu seems to be maintaining the original, hand-drawn design of the characters. Sketches of the core crew are presented throughout the trailer alongside their voice actors. The trailer can be viewed below:
Overall, the reception on Twitter is positive, as fans who grew up with the show are excited to see it return to the small screen. However, there are demands from many for the return of many other beloved, supporting characters like Minerva Mink, Hello Nurse, and Squit. Hulu’s press releases refer to the show strictly as a reboot, not a revival. With the recent triumphant return of Disney’s DuckTales, even though the original Animaniacs was a loose plot-driven sketch show, with this reboot, there is potential for Hulu to move the show towards a more continuous narrative structure.
Even with the updated visuals, Hulu has maintained the animated essence and the show’s original cast with what is known about the reboot so far. Committing to a two-season reboot of such a decorated, popular series is an apparent attempt by Hulu to keep up with the recent reboot craze that has struck the streaming platforms. Unlike other revivals, with this reboot, Hulu looks like they are committed to maintaining the Animaniacs gang’s wholesome and wacky adventures that made the original famous. Nostalgic fans and a new generation of viewers will have to wait until November to know if the Animaniacs world’s zany, creative comedic voice is upheld in this restoration.
Source: Hulu/Twitter