Looney Tunes is slowly making a comeback, having debuted their reboot on Cartoon Network last year and earned themselves an Emmy nomination this year, and now, Warner Bros. is going to have another go at the big screen. But it's the writer they put in charge of the screenplay that has me pretty giddy. Jenny Slate, creator (and voice) of Marcel the Shell With Shoes On, has been chosen to write a full-length Looney Tunes movie that will be a combination of live-action and CGI. So, it will be like a hipper, more internet era-friendly, less '90s version of Space Jam. Hopefully moreso than 2003's Looney Tunes: Back in Action, which resulted in very little box office action.
Slate's Marcel was a huge viral hit for its understated and sweet sensibilities, two qualities that made the little shell with big problems a fan favorite that spawned a sequel and a children's book. And while that particular approach might not be suited for the slapsticky style of Looney Tunes, Slate proved she can go more frenetic and over-the-top during her (criminally short) time on Saturday Night Live and in her standup act with Gabe Liedman. And whether we like it or not, she has previous cartoon character experience, playing Zoe in Alvin and the Chipmunks: Chipwrecked. Between Marcel and Chipwrecked, Slate has proven her ability to entertain a family-friendly audience while maintaining a subtle hipness (as evidenced in the former, at least). Bonus: She might get to write lines for her former SNL colleague, Kristen Wiig, who voices Lola Bunny on the Cartoon Network show.
Warner Bros. could really use a Disney-level success with their classic characters, and it would be really fun to see Bugs, Daffy, & Co. infiltrate pop culture a bit more. With a producing lineup that includes David Katzenberg and Seth Grahame-Smith (Dark Shadows), plus David Heyman and Jeffrey Clifford (Harry Potter), I would be really bummed if this flick didn't get the attention it deserves. Sean O'Neal at AV Club compares Slate's hiring to Jason Segel taking on The Muppets, which went pretty well, if you enjoy understatements. And if Slate can be the fresh, smart, young brain that puts the Looney Tunes back into the spotlight, then that's good news for all of us.
But please — no jocks as actors, unless it's Peyton Manning. And only for a cameo. Or Seth MacFarlane's dumb Ryan Lochte.
Photo credit: NBC
Warner Bros. trying yet again with a Looney Tunes movie written by Jenny Slate [AV Club]
