With an as-of-yet untitled Looney Toons movie going into production at Cartoon Network, the channel has proven its capacity to draw some high-quality content. After all, there are few Looney Toons films that aren't extraordinary, and this project will almost certainly come to excite viewers.
But there is reason to doubt. After all, Cartoon Network has produced some forgotten and reviled films like Re-Animated and Ben 10: Race Against Time. With that in mind, it's hard to feel confident in the project. Thankfully, IMDb has compiled a list of some of the best Cartoon Network films through the years, which will almost certainly give fans a reason to relax.
Firebreather
An entirely original story depicting a young man struggling to come to terms with his identity as a human/kaiju hybrid, the titular Firebreather is both the heir to the Kaiju throne and a regular high school outcast. It's an inventive story that really depicts a teenager's path to adulthood, as he struggles with family relations, managing school, and trying to figure out how to deal with his father, the King of the Kaiju.
Having earned a 6.0 on IMDb, the film showcases the protagonist, Duncan, incredibly well. Though his problems are somewhat foreign to most viewers, thanks to his nature as a Kaiju, his journey of self-discovery mimics what most teens and young people experience as they grow older incredibly well.
Exchange Student Zero
In a film that takes some inspiration from Jumanji, two boys accidentally bring the protagonist of a card game into the real world. Things only get worse when more and more features of the game slip into reality, causing chaos all over the town.
The movie was such a success that Exchange Student Zero was greenlit as a TV show. While the show only ran for 13 episodes, the extension was still a significant result for an unexpected hit of a film. It brought Jumanji to a new era of kids, even before the reboot introduced the real thing.
Johnny Bravo Goes to Bollywood
With Johnny Bravo having fallen out of favor in the public eye, the franchise is now desperate for attention, and Johnny Bravo Goes to Bollywood takes that premise to its fullest. The franchise Johnny Bravo needed a movie, and the character did too.
Taking that idea to Bollywood, Johnny Bravo tried to regain the attention of the world. Trying to rekindle the flames of popularity, he found himself trying to deal with a murder in the midst of it all. The series involves detective work, action, and the famous Johnny Bravo wit (or lack thereof) that has earned the series acclaim for years.
Monster Beach
In the same basic vein as Gravity Falls, two kids arrive at their uncle's home on a secluded beach. There, they discover that the town is actually run by monsters, and the siblings have to deal with the fact that they are, at all times, surrounded by them.
Though the series explores the concept more closely than the TV movie does, Monster Beach did a solid enough job, earning a 7.0 rating on IMDb. It also proved to be incredibly well-animated, which helped it earn its deserved acclaim. Still, the premise is a little too close to Gravity Falls for most current audiences to enjoy it as anything but a clone.
Teen Titans: Trouble in Tokyo
A smash success for a children's superhero show, Teen Titans proved that animated shows could explore some heavy themes. As a soft conclusion to the acclaimed show, though one that admittedly failed to completely conclude many of the show's hanging plot threads, it gave fans one last taste of the beloved heroes before the end of the series.
The team handles a final conflict in Tokyo before Robin and Starfire finally agree to become a couple and Beast Boy ends the series with the light-hearted humor the show was known for. Though it couldn't conclude the plotline with Terra, it did provide a hearty goodbye to the series for years to come.
Underfist: Halloween Bash
A spin-off of The Grim Adventures of Billy and Mandy, Underfist: Halloween Bash was meant to launch a series of its own. It certainly had the potential to be one of the best Cartoon Network shows, as the special carries much of the same sense of humor as the original Billy and Mandy series.
With a somewhat new and larger cast of characters, it offered a considerably wider net for stories than what Billy and Mandy could achieve, and it's part of why the film earned a 7.2 on IMDb. Unfortunately, it failed to evolve into a show, as the studio's contract ended before production could begin.
Ben 10: Secret of the Omnitrix
After discovering that the Omnitrix has entered a self-destruct mode, Ben 10 discovers that he may be facing certain destruction if he doesn't get the Omnitrix fixed. The movie is incredibly important to the lore of the series, as it provides the first revelation as to who made Ben's alien watch and why.
There are few movies more in line with a show's tone than Ben 10: Secret of the Omnitrix. While many, like Trouble in Tokyo like to make TV movies non-essential viewing, Ben 10 takes the opposite approach. Fans who neglect to watch the film will be unable to follow later episodes of the show as easily, which makes the time spent watching feel earned.
Foster's Home for Imaginary Friends: Destination Imagination
Though considerably darker than most episodes of the main series, Destination Imagination follows a world in which Frankie Foster has grown sick of helping out at Foster's Home for Imaginary Friends. Escaping into a toy box, she tries to just enjoy her life without having to deal with the stresses of caring for imaginary friends.
Unfortunately, it isn't meant to last. After considerable conflict when the imaginary friends come to find her, she eventually returns to her position. Though the others agree to help her tend to her duties, the ending is somewhat tragic, as Foster makes it clear that she didn't want to work there any longer. The disappointing ending leaves room for considerable introspection, which is somewhat uncommon for a TV movie from Cartoon Network.
The Halloween Tree
A Hanna-Barbera film exploring the true meaning of Halloween, The Halloween Tree is somewhat different from most other Cartoon Network movies. Though it has a more generic animation quality than most productions on the network, the voice acting is incredible, and the series does a good job of teaching its young audience as much as possible.
It's also a fairly self-contained film, which is rare for Cartoon Network productions. While it explores many settings and introduces fans to concepts like the Day of the Dead and ancient Egyptian burial practices, it feels like every minute progresses the plot and keeps the narrative moving.
Samurai Jack: The Premiere Movie
While Samurai Jack: The Premiere Movie was a feature film production, it was in actuality simply the first few episodes of the TV series strung together into one film. Still, given that Samurai Jack was one of the most unique concepts Cartoon Network had, combined with an art style that put other shows on the network to shame, that alone was enough to propel it into being the best Cartoon Network film.
The movie introduces the setting masterfully, and Jack is intimidating from his first introduction. Though the concept can be somewhat complicated for younger viewers, the writing and pacing keep it flowing well, making it easily understandable, despite the subject matter.