An ongoing HBO Max kids content shutdown is claiming seven new upcoming animated kids projects, including a recently greenlit feature film.
Kidscreen has confirmed the cancellation of a space adventure film called Driftwood (pictured) from Victor Courtright (Aquaman: King of Atlantis) and Cartoon Network Studios that was already in production for Cartoon Network and HBO Max. Its script tells the story of a tiny mouse on a mission to discover a safe and renewable fuel source while avoiding an evil overlord.
Six other projects have also been nixed: Warner Bros. Animation’s series Batman: Caped Crusader; holiday special Merry Little Batman; The Day the Earth Blew Up: A Looney Tunes Movie; Bye Bye Bunny: A Looney Tunes Musical; holiday special Did I Do That to The Holidays: A Steve Urkel Story; and Hanna-Barbera Studios’ The Amazing World of Gumball: The Movie. They’re all still in production, and Warner Bros. Animation and Hanna-Barbera Studios intend to shop them around to other buyers, according to a Warner Bros. Discovery spokesperson.
HBO Max is cutting back on kids content as part of a larger restructuring effort that saw around 70 staffers from HBO and HBO Max laid off last week. The streamer is also pulling more than 30 kids shows from its lineup, including Mia’s Magic Playground, Detention Adventure and The Not-Too-Late Show with Elmo.
Warner Bros. Discovery plans to merge its HBO Max and Discovery+ streamers, and has scrapped kids projects such as live-action kids series Gordita Chronicles and Ellen DeGeneres’s animated series Little Ellen.