Animaniacs (2019 film)

Animaniacs is an American live-action / animated hybrid comedy film based off of the 1993 television series of the same name created by Tom Ruegger. The film was directed by David Soren in his first live-action film and written by Ruegger, Steven Spielberg, and Tim Story. The film stars Mike Myers, Anna Kendrick, Steve Zahn, and Jack Dylan Grazer with Rob Paulsen, Jess Harnell, and Tress MacNeille as the voices of Yakko, Wakko, and Dot. The film is best known for having animation similar to Who Framed Roger Rabbit? and Looney Tunes: Back in Action

The film's plot follows the Warner Brothers and the Sister being released by their scientist Dr. Otto Scratchansniff. However, Warner Bros.'s president Mike MacWalker hides them in a car so they won't cause chaos, much of them being found by a girl named Ariana (Kendrick). Knowing that it was a big mistake, he sends the entire government to go look for them. Meanwhile, The Brain and his sidekick Pinky train a group of mice kids to take over the world.

Animaniacs released on October 20, 2019 and received mixed-to-positive reviews, praising Soren's direction after DreamWorks' Turbo and Captain Underpants: The First Epic Movie. There was also a post-credit scene in the film which foreshadowed the release of the 2020 revival series which released on Hulu.

Synopsis
Disappearing from the golden age of animation since 1999, the Animaniacs have been released out of their homes by mad scientist Dr. Otto Scratchansiff. Knowing that they are too crazy and dangerous to be out, Warner Bros.' president Mike MacWalker stupidly hides them in a car. The car later gets owned by 29-year-old girl Ariana Suplana, who finds them under the car. MacWalker finds out that it was a stupid idea to do it and sends the entire U.S. government to look for them. Meanwhile, Pinky and his sidekick The Brain train a group of mice children to take over the world.

Plot
Plans for an Animaniacs movie starring one of the main protagonists Yakko Warner had been in development at the Warner Bros. studios since 2013. It's president Mike MacWalker had been in talks to produce it. Dr. Otto Scratchansiff plans to release one of the Warner Brothers/Sisters but MacWalker denies it, but Scratchansiff runs out of the room to release them because it is not the same without the Animaniacs.

He releases the trio Yakko, Wakko, and Dot, which floods the whole Warner Bros. lot, causing Scratchansiff to get arrested for 55 years. Meanwhile, MacWalker decides to put Yakko, Wakko, and Dot into a cage under a car. Meanwhile, a 20-year-old girl named Ariana Suplana buys the car and gfoes home with it, even with her nephew Jack making fun of the car. She hears something under the car, which is Yakko, Wakko, and Dot.

Soon, she sees a news report about Yakko, Wakko, and Dot seeing that they are wanted. At the Warner Bros. lot having the water cleaned up by the workers, Mike MacWalker realizes it was a terrible idea and orders the entire U.S. government to go look for the Animaniacs. At the ACME labs, The Brain and his sidekick Pinky try to make a plan to take over the world. Pinky comes up with the idea of training little mice children to make inventions to take over the world. Brain approves of the idea and tries to contact mice children. While in jail, with an inmate's help, Otto Scratchansiff breaks out of jail and hops on the roof of an truck.

Jack finds out about Yakko, Wakko, and Dot being in their house. He attempts to tell Ariana's father, but Ariana forbids him to, while she drives away with Yakko, Wakko, and Dot to the Warner Bros. lot. Jack then breaks Ariana's promise and tells her dad, in which he and Jack go after Ariana. Meanwhile, The Brain and Pinky teach the mice children on how to build an invention.

At nighttime, Jack and Mel (Ariana's father) find Ariana's car and attempt to catch up with it. Jack also tells Mel that Ariana has the "legendary" Animaniacs, but his dad doesn't believe him until Yakko, Wakko, and Dot stop the car by throwing salami at the car's engine, causing it to crash, but both Jack and Mel are okay after the incident. But the car span around so much, that it caused Jack to throw up in the car. The next day, Pinky and the Brain are testing the kids' inventions, all of them fail, but only one works; a hat that can make people in the world think that your in charge. The Brain loves this idea until it suddenly blows up, with the mouse saying that it wasn't ready.

Meanwhile with Ariana driving in the desert, she realizes that the car has been broken down. Yakko, Wakko, and Dot get upset. Needing to find a place to rest in, they find a place called "Looney Desert" featuring various Looney Tunes characters such as Bugs Bunny, Daffy Duck, Porky Pig, and Sylvester Cat. They go into a bar where they later get assisted help by Foghorn Leghorn (who is portrayed as a car engineer in this film), who says it will take atleast a day to fix the car. Ariana and the Warner Brothers and the sister settle into a hotel that is owned by Tweety Bird (while trying to survive getting eating by Sylvester).

While Scratchansiff is driving after stealing a vehicle yesterday, he hears sirens, but then finds out that it's the police. He escapes the police after a large crack in the hole came after Scratchansiff's car went over a ramp but then hit the ground hardly. Meanwhile, Jack and Mel are contacting the police until they find clues showcasing that Ariana and the Animaniacs are currently in Looney Desert. The next day, Ariana, Yakko, Wakko and Dot wake up to find their car fixed up by Foghorn Leghorn. They thank Foghorn for their help. They then drive off after a group of policemen witness the Animaniacs, who are wanted. Scratchansiff's car bumps into them, and having a hug with the Animaniacs before driving off again because the cops are almost on their trail. Meanwhile, Pinky and the Brain discover an artifact hidden in the basement of the Warner Bros. lot and the Brain needs it to take over the world, as always.

While driving, Jack and Mel are shown on their trail, but they have no choice to give up. Ariana gets grounded by her father for the entire year with Jack laughing, while the cops cannot spot the Animaniacs, but it is revealed that they are under the car. Dr. Scratchansiff is also taken back to prison at this point. A cop tells MacWalker that the Animaniacs have not been spotted in the car, causing him to have a meltdown for ten seconds before taking a sip of coffee. While Ariana is grounded in her room, the Animaniacs appear under her bed and bust her out, pretending to be her parents, but stupidly, people buy the disguise.

While Scratchansiff is still in jail, the Animaniacs also bust him out. They then go back to the Looney Desert, where their current mission is to show the people that they're not bad. To do that, they need to make a 20-minute cartoon. To do that, they get help from the man who is the father of the Animaniacs: Tom Ruegger. Tom brings his his animation crew and makes a cartoon, which will be shown in Dolby Cinema tomorrow morning. Meanwhile, watching a trailer for the cartoon, MacWalker wants to know  HOW  they made a cartoon about the Animaniacs when they are not popular anymore. An employee says "Well, why not?" but MacWalker angrily responds with "Why then not?.."

The film premieres at the Dolby Cinema and shows the Animaniacs about how they help people instead of being zany. People loved the cartoon, and Animaniacs soon becomes popular again. MacWalker especially loved the cartoon, and no longer sent the U.S. government after them. At night in the Warner Bros. lot, Pinky and the Brain sneak into the lot's basement and find the artifact. They get spotted by an security guard, but soon get considered as artifacts too for some reason. At the Looney Desert, the Animaniacs bump into their friends, Skippy and Slappy, Buttons and Mindy, and Rita and Runt including Hello Nurse. Yakko again falls in love with Hello Nurse, with Hello Nurse then kissing Yakko, making Dot cover her eyes and Wakko being jealous, popping like a balloon.

Ariana comes back home, but Jack and Mel see her, thinking that she's grounded. Mel saw the short film proving that the Animaniacs are good people and ungrounds her. With Jack thinking that this is unfair and she should be grounded. Meanwhile, Pinky and the Brain are about to use the artifact until it gets eaten by a rat named Bethany. Bethany then winks at both the Brain and Pinky before jumping down a hole. Angry at this, The Brain screams while Pinky is eating popcorn. Meanwhile, Yakko, Wakko, and Dot are smiling for a picture, ending the film.

In a post-credits scene, Yakko explains to the viewers that they're coming back on Hulu in November 2020. He says that what he is telling them is true before turning off the camera.

Live-action cast

 * Mike Myers as Mike MacWalker, the current president of Warner Bros.
 * Anna Kendrick as Ariana Palante, a 29-year-old girl who befriends the Animaniacs.
 * Steve Zahn as Mel Palante, the father of Ariana.
 * Jack Dylan Grazer as Jack, the nephew of Ariana.
 * Tom Ruegger as Himself, the father of Yakko, Wakko, and Dot.

Voice cast

 * Rob Paulsen as Yakko Warner, the oldest sibling of the Warner brothers and sister.
 * Paulsen also voices Pinky, the sidekick of The Brain.
 * Paulsen also voices Dr. Otto Scratchansiff, a mad scientist who frees the Animaniacs from the Warner Tower.
 * Jess Harnell as Wakko Warner, the eldst sibling of the Warner brothers and sister.
 * Tress MacNeille as Dot Warner, the youngest sibling of the Warner brothers and sister.
 * Maurice LaMarche as The Brain, a mouse who wants to takeover the world.
 * Emma Stone as Hello Nurse, a nurse at the Warner Bros. studio who appear at the end of the film.
 * Jeff Bergman as Foghorn Leghorn, a car engineer who fixes Ariana's car after it breaks down
 * Bergman also voices Bugs Bunny, a waiter at the bar of Looney Desert.
 * Bergman also voices Daffy Duck, a waiter at the bar of Looney Desert.
 * Bergman also voices Sylvester Cat, a black cat who always fails to eat Tweety.
 * Bergman also voices Pepe Le Pew, a skunk.
 * Bergman also voices Elmer Fudd, a hunter who always hunts for Bugs and Daffy.
 * Bergman also voices Bosko, a forgotten Looney Tunes character from the 1930s.
 * Bob Bergen as Porky Pig, a pig who always stutters.
 * Eric Bauza as Tweety Bird, a yellow bird in which Sylvester always fails to eat.
 * Javon Walton as Sylvester Junior, the son of Sylvester.
 * Paul Julian (archival recordings) as the Roadrunner, a fast animal who always outsmarts Wile E. Coyote.
 * Candi Milo as Granny, the owner of Sylvester and Tweety.

Wile E. Coyote appears in the film, but does not have any lines.