Warner Bros. Discovery (WBD) has confirmed plans for a new Tom and Jerry movie, despite the mixed reception of their previous 2021 release. The announcement comes as the company seeks to navigate its ongoing financial struggles, with a focus on increasing shareholder value.
The new film will offer a fresh take on the iconic Tom and Jerry series, originally created by Hanna-Barbera in 1940. Unlike the 2021 movie, which featured a blend of live-action and animation, details about the upcoming project remain scarce. It is unclear whether the film will be animated, live-action, or a combination of both. However, Warner Bros. Pictures Animation is set to produce, hinting at a likely animated format.
Rashida Jones, Will McCormack, and Michael Govier have been tapped to write the screenplay, bringing new talent to the project. Despite the fresh creative team, some fans are skeptical about the decision to revisit the franchise so soon after the last movie, which was not well-received by critics.
This new movie comes amid a series of financial decisions by WBD, including the recent announcement to restructure its cable channels in a bid to reduce its significant debt. While the company’s focus is on improving shareholder returns, some critics view these repeated attempts to reboot familiar franchises as a sign of creative stagnation.
The announcement also follows the shelving of another Warner Bros. project, Coyote vs. Acme, a similar predator-prey themed story, which was delayed as part of the company’s efforts to streamline its operations. If this new Tom and Jerry film meets the same fate, it could join the growing list of unfinished projects that have yet to see the light of day.
Whether the new film succeeds or ends up languishing like its predecessors, fans of the cat-and-mouse duo may once again be left wondering: will Tom ever catch Jerry?
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