Animaniacs: Back in Action is a 2019 American live action/animated action-adventure-comedy film directed by Steven Spielberg and Joe Dante, with Eric Goldberg serving as animation director. It is based off of the 1993-98 series Animaniacs, and was produced by Tom Ruegger and Steven Spieberg, written by Sherri Stoner, Joe Dante, Craig McCracken and Lauren Faust (the latter two whom both worked on The Powerpuff Girls), scored by Michael Giacchino, with archive music by Richard Stone, and distributed by Amblin Entertainment and Warner Bros. Pictures. The film combines live-action with animation similar to Who Framed Roger Rabbit, Space Jam, and Looney Tunes: Back in Action (whom the film bears a similar name to).
The film premiered in theaters in Australia on April 31, 2019, and was released to the US on March 25.
Plot[]
In mid-1995, the Animaniacs cast get to take a short vacation after the production of their new episode to be released to the public. However, an evil, former animator named Louie Crack (Bill Hader), sees this and, reflecting a time the cast caused him to get fired, tries to get revenge on them by destroying their episode and their reputation. When Yakko reads a letter from Crack saying that he will get his revenge on them, he gathers himself, his siblings Wakko and Dot, the rest of the Animaniacs characters, Steven Spielberg (himself), and fan of their show Tara Strong (also played by herself) as a team to try and stop Crack.
In a mid-credits scene, Louie Crack, who is later revealed to have survived his fall from his tower during his fight with Yakko (by landing inside of a pillow truck; his silhouette hole can be seen on top), rolls out of the truck and looks around him to discover that he is outside Walt Disney Animation Studios (named Walt Disney Feature Animation at the time). The CEO of the studio then walks outside and finds Crack on the ground, telling him that he needs a new animator for his studio. Struck by the CEO's words, Crack then begins to smile, implying that he has a change of heart and is getting a new job.
In a post-credits scene, the Warner Siblings stroll around the studio, chatting what their next production will be like. No sooner, Emma Stone enters the scene, suddenly making Yakko and Wakko fawn over her ("Hellooooo, Emma Stone!"). Dot, miffed, grabs her mallet from behind her back and smacks her brothers silly with it. With a classic remark of "Boys...", Dot then strolls away dragging her unconscious brothers along while Emma looks on awestruck.
Cast[]
- Bill Hader as Louie Crack, a former animator who tries to get his revenge on the Animaniacs for getting him fired. He is the main antagonist of the film, and his name is a pun on actor Lewis Black, whom he worked with on Inside Out.
- Steven Spielberg as himself, the creator of Animaniacs who later teams up with the cast of his cartoon and Tara Strong to defeat Louie Crack.
- Tara Strong as herself, who later teams up with the cast of her favorite cartoon and Steven Spielberg to defeat Louie Crack.
- Emma Stone as herself, who makes an appearance in the post-credits sequence.
Voices[]
- Rob Paulsen as Yakko Warner, Pinky, Dr. Scratchansniff
- Jess Harnell as Wakko Warner, Walter J. Wolf
- Tress MacNeille as Dot Warner, Marita, Hello Nurse
- Frank Welker as Ralph, Thaddeus Plotz, Buttons, Flavio, Runt
- Bernadette Peters as Rita
- John Mariano as Bobby
- Dee Bradley Baker as Pesto
- Maurice LaMarche as Squit, Brain, Wakko's Burps
- Nancy Cartwright as Mindy
- Noah Schnapp as Skippy Squirrel
- Sherri Stoner as Slappy Squirrel
Soundtrack[]
- Animaniacs Theme Song - The Warners ft. Tara Strong
- Happy - Pharrell Williams ft. the Animaniacs cast
- Makes Me Beautiful - One Direction
- Wrecking Ball - Miley Cyrus
- Beep, Beep, I'm A Sheep - Thomas Ridgewell ft. the Warners and Tara Strong
- Bad Romance - Lady Gaga ft. Hello Nurse
- Squeeze Me - N.E.R.D.
- Better When I'm Dancing - Meghan Trainor
- Poker Face - Lady Gaga
- What Are We? - The Warners ft. Tara Strong and Steven Spielberg
- It's Finn McMissile - Michael Giacchino
- Animaniacs Theme Song (Cover) - The Animaniacs cast ft. Steven Spielberg and Tara Strong
Trivia[]
- Due to Chick Vinnera's retirement in 2011, Pesto is now performed by Dee Bradley Baker. The same goes for Skippy Squirrel, who is voiced by Noah Schnapp. This was also Bernadette Peters' last performance as Rita before the other media.
- Due to the film being co-written The Powerpuff Girls staff Craig McCracken and Lauren Faust, the film has a few references/allusions to said Cartoon Network show:
- Among the many dolls Dot owns in her room is a stuffed doll resembling Blossom, which is computer-animated to give the effect of an animated character holding a realistic item.
- During the scene where Yakko, Wakko and Dot watch TV with their fan Tara Strong at her home, the footage shown on the television is a clip of the 1995 What a Cartoon! PPG episode, "Meat Fuzzy Lumpkins", which shows Bubbles. Tara, seeing Bubbles, then remarks: "I wish I get to play her.".
- This is because Cartoon Network, which was a part of Time Warner, allowed Warner Bros. to slip the references into the film.
- Despite the movie taking place in 1995, many of the songs in the soundtrack section aren't released yet in said year.
- The movie uses the Tokyo Movie Shinsha designs of the Animaniacs characters.
- The film begins in the same way as the episode "Super Strong Warner Siblings": the intro sequence plays, then it turns out to be filmed and cut by a director. The opening sequence normally used in the show is reanimated in widescreen for this film.