| Runtime: | 30 minutes |
| Composer: | Thomas Chase Jones |
| Executive Producer: | Sander Schwartz |
| Producer: | Ron Myrick |
| Narrated: | Candi Milo |
| Country: | United States |
| Network: | The WB The CW |
| Company: | Warner Bros. Animation |
| Num Seasons: | 2 |
| Num Episodes: | 26 |
Loonatics Unleashed is an American superhero animated television series produced by Warner Bros. Animation that ran on Kids' WB for two seasons from 2005[1] to 2007. It also aired on Cartoon Network internationally (excluding Japan). The series was based/inspired on the Looney Tunes cartoon characters, with the series described by Warner Bros. as an action comedy. Loonatics Unleashed is meant to be a mixture of the Looney Tunes shorts' irreverent style of humor and a modern action animated series, with the characters designed in a more action cartoon-inspired style.
Unlike previous Looney Tunes-related shows, Loonatics Unleashed has a darker tone and takes place in a post-apocalyptic setting, following multiple minor story arcs.[2] The initial concept designs were met with backlash among fans and there were petitions to have the designs changed, while Sander Schwartz defended the show's direction, saying "the classic characters were just “sharing DNA” with these new ones, and it was merely an extension of the franchise."[3] Sam Register, who became WB's executive vice president of creative affairs in 2008, considers the character designs "a reminder of what not to do".[4] This serves as the final series of the Looney Tunes TV franchise to premiere in the 2000s decade. After Loonatics Unleashed ended, the franchise would go on hiatus until the release of The Looney Tunes Show on Cartoon Network, four years later.
The events of Loonatics Unleashed occur in the year 2772, the year that a meteor strikes the city planet of Acmetropolis by crashing into one of its oceans, knocking it completely off its original axis. Instead of destroying the planet, the meteor crashes in a waterfront, releasing waves of supernatural energies causing some of the planet's citizens' genetic codes to be severely altered, granting them special abilities and strengths.
A mysterious and powerful woman named Zadavia calls upon six teenagers of the affected residents to form a team of superheroes. She becomes their commander, dispatching them for the purpose of combating any and all threats to Acmetropolis and its citizens. The newly formed team is known as the Loonatics and reside on the 134th floor of a large tower. These characters are the descendants of the classic Looney Tunes characters, according to multiple press releases and official sources. Descendants of other Looney Tunes are unverified, though they can be inferred in certain situations.
It is later revealed that Zadavia is in fact an alien and had used her powers to knock the meteor slightly off-course, preventing the total destruction of the planet. It is also revealed that a mysterious figure, later revealed to be Zadavia's older brother named Optimatus, caused the meteor to strike Acmetropolis in an attempt to destroy his sister.
In the second season, the show takes on a lighter tone and many more descendants of other Looney Tunes characters are introduced, the majority of which only appear once in the series. The super villain characters from the previous season are rarely mentioned or rarely appear. Zadavia becomes a less mysterious figure and regularly participates with the Loonatics in their adventures. Two more aliens from Zadavia's home planet are also introduced, Deuce and Keyboard Man. In the season's finale, the Loonatics are temporarily joined by Sylth Vester and Optimatus is replaced by Deuce as the series arch-villain.
Loonatics Unleashed began as a pitch by Christian and Yvon Tremblay, originally titled The Loonatics using reinterpretations of classic Looney Tunes characters.[6] [7] The team presented their pitch to then President of Warner Bros. Animation, Sander Schwartz, who responded favorably to the pitch, and after showing the concept to a focus group of kids was given a formal production commitment. David Janollari, then President of Kids' WB expressed enthusiasm for the series and referred to it as "a great way to take the classic Looney Tunes franchise that has been huge with audiences for decades and bring it into the new millennium".
The Loonatics were first unveiled to the public in February 2005 with a live-action/animated promotional short that featured the characters with early designs and names such as Zadavia being originally named Maxima. The reveal of Loonatics, in particular the characters' more angular and imposing designs, was met with ire throughout the Looney Tunes fandom. A petition demanding a change to the Loonatics designs garnered 85,000 signatures.[8] The petition garnered enough of a response that Warner Bros. Animation issued a statement that the circulated drawings were early preliminary designs that had been since modified with softer, less imposing features.
In September 2006, The CW presented its lineup for the 2006–07 Saturday Morning schedule with Loonatics Unleashed returning for a second season, with the press release describing the show as a "breakout hit".[9]
In March 2007, The CW presented its lineup for the 2007–08 Saturday Morning schedule with Loonatics Unleashed no longer among the shows scheduled to air.[10]
Loonatics Unleashed received negative reviews from critics and fans alike.
Joly Herman of Common Sense Media gave the show two stars out of five, saying that the jokes are "no longer very funny" and the characters have "become little more than filler material."[11]