Warner Bros. Discovery is playing a dangerous game of cat and mouse with their massive pile of debt, one that's leading them to some creative—and dubiously productive—solutions. This morning, the company announced that they were separating out their cable channels in order to aid in their mission to "deliver significant shareholder value," the thing everyone really wants from their art and entertainment. Now, they've unveiled a new trap to hopefully lure in some of that sweet, sweet cheddar. It's… another Tom And Jerry movie for some reason. Sure! That'll work.
If reading that news feels like you're getting caught in the same trap over and over and over again, it's not just you. WBD put out a different Tom & Jerry film a mere three years ago, starring Chloë Grace Moretz, Michael Peña, and Colin Jost. It wasn't received very well by critics (we gave it a C), but hey—why not try the exact same thing all over again? That always worked for Tom! Okay, well, it actually never did, but there's always next time, right?
At least this round has a good team behind it. Deadline reports that Rashida Jones, Will McCormack, and Michael Govier have signed on to write the script, with Warner Bros Pictures Animation producing. This will be a completely fresh take on the original 1940 Hanna-Barbera cartoon, rather than a sequel or continuation of the 2021 film. Beyond that, it's unclear if it will be animated (likely, considering the producer), live-action, or a hybrid like the 2021 movie.
This announcement is extra frustrating considering the 2023 shelving of Coyote Vs. Acme—another prey-outwits-predator story—in a decision that was also meant to increase shareholder value. If the same fate befalls this Tom And Jerry, at least the cat and the coyote can commiserate somewhere in the back of a WBD closet about why nothing ever goes right for them.
