Cartoon Network Studios is an American
animation studio
An animation studio is a company producing animated media. The broadest such companies conceive of products to produce, own the physical equipment for production, employ operators for that equipment, and hold a major stake in the sales or rentals ...
owned by the
Warner Bros. Television Studios
Warner Bros. Television Studios (operating under the name Warner Bros. Television; formerly known as Warner Bros. Television Division) is an American television production and distribution studio of the Warner Bros. Television Group division of ...
division of
Warner Bros.
Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc. (commonly known as Warner Bros. or abbreviated as WB) is an American film and entertainment studio headquartered at the Warner Bros. Studios complex in Burbank, California, and a subsidiary of Warner Bros. D ...
, a subsidiary of
Warner Bros. Discovery
Warner Bros. Discovery, Inc. (WBD) is an American multinational mass media and entertainment conglomerate headquartered at 230 Park Avenue South in New York City. It was formed after the spin-off of WarnerMedia by AT&T, and its merger with Di ...
. The studio is the production arm of
Cartoon Network
Cartoon Network (often abbreviated as CN) is an American cable television channel owned by Warner Bros. Discovery. It is a part of The Cartoon Network, Inc., a division that also has the broadcasting and production activities of Boomerang, Car ...
, and started operating on October 21, 1994, as a division of
Hanna-Barbera
Hanna-Barbera Cartoons, Inc. ( ) was an American animation studio and production company which was active from 1957 to 2001. It was founded on July 7, 1957, by William Hanna and Joseph Barbera following the decision of Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer to c ...
until the latter was absorbed into
Warner Bros. Animation
Warner Bros. Animation Inc. is an American animation studio which is part of the Warner Bros. Television Studios division of Warner Bros., a flagship of Warner Bros. Discovery. As the successor to Warner Bros. Cartoons, which was active from 19 ...
in 2001.
Located in
Burbank, California
Burbank is a city in the southeastern end of the San Fernando Valley in Los Angeles County, California, United States. Located northwest of downtown Los Angeles, Burbank has a population of 107,337. The city was named after David Burbank, w ...
, the studio primarily produces and develops animated programs and shorts for Cartoon Network and
Cartoonito
Cartoonito is a brand name used by Warner Bros. Discovery for a collection of television networks and programming blocks that target preschool-age children. The name combines the "cartoon" with the Spanish suffix "ito", meaning "small".
As of 2 ...
. Recently, the studio has also developed programs for
Adult Swim
Adult Swim (AS; stylized as dult swim
Dult is a village in Batala in Gurdaspur district of Punjab State, India. It is located from sub district headquarter, from district headquarter and from Sri Hargobindpur. The village is administrated by Sarpanch an elected representati ...
and often abbreviated as s is an American adult-oriented night-time cable television Television channel, channel that shares channel space with the basic cable network Cartoon Network and is programme ...
,
TBS, and
HBO Max
HBO Max is an American subscription video on-demand over-the-top streaming service owned by Warner Bros. Discovery. Launched in the United States on May 27, 2020, the service is built around the libraries of HBO, Warner Bros., Cartoon Netw ...
. The studio has also produced its sole theatrically released film, ''
The Powerpuff Girls Movie
''The Powerpuff Girls Movie'' is a 2002 American animated superhero film based on the Cartoon Network animated television series ''The Powerpuff Girls''. It was co-written and directed by series' creator Craig McCracken (in his directorial debut) ...
'', distributed by its sister company,
Warner Bros. Pictures
Warner Bros. Pictures is an American film production and distribution company of the Warner Bros. Pictures Group division of Warner Bros. Entertainment (both ultimately owned by Warner Bros. Discovery). The studio is the flagship producer of ...
.
History
1990s to 2000s
Hanna-Barbera era
Cartoon Network Studios originated as a division of
Hanna-Barbera Cartoons, Inc. that focused on producing original programming for
Cartoon Network
Cartoon Network (often abbreviated as CN) is an American cable television channel owned by Warner Bros. Discovery. It is a part of The Cartoon Network, Inc., a division that also has the broadcasting and production activities of Boomerang, Car ...
, including ''
What a Cartoon!
''What a Cartoon!'' (later known as ''The What a Cartoon! Show'' and ''The Cartoon Cartoon Show'') is an American animated anthology series created by Fred Seibert for Cartoon Network. The shorts were produced by Hanna-Barbera Productions; by ...
'', ''
Dexter's Laboratory'', ''
Johnny Bravo
''Johnny Bravo'' is an American animated comedy television series created by Van Partible for Cartoon Network and distributed by Warner Bros. Domestic Television Distribution. It is the second of the network's Cartoon Cartoons, which aired fr ...
'', and ''
The Powerpuff Girls
''The Powerpuff Girls'' is an American superhero animated television series created by animator Craig McCracken and produced by Hanna-Barbera (later Cartoon Network Studios) for Cartoon Network and distributed by Warner Bros. Domestic Telev ...
''. Following the 1996 merger of Hanna-Barbera's parent,
Turner Broadcasting System
Turner Broadcasting System, Inc. (alternatively known as Turner Entertainment Networks from 2019 until 2022) was an American television and media conglomerate. Founded by Ted Turner and based in Atlanta, Georgia, it merged with Time Warner (lat ...
with
Time Warner
Warner Media, LLC ( traded as WarnerMedia) was an American multinational mass media and entertainment conglomerate. It was headquartered at the 30 Hudson Yards complex in New York City, United States.
It was originally established in 1972 by ...
, and after being located on
Cahuenga Boulevard
Cahuenga Boulevard () is a major boulevard of northern Los Angeles, California, US. The “Cahuenga” name is a Spanish, phonetic derivative with no actual Spanish language meaning that is attributed to the Tongva village of Kawengna, meaning "p ...
in
Los Angeles
Los Angeles ( ; es, Los Ángeles, link=no , ), often referred to by its initials L.A., is the largest city in the state of California and the second most populous city in the United States after New York City, as well as one of the world' ...
since 1963, the Hanna-Barbera studio, its archives, and its extensive animation art collection, were relocated in 1998 to
Sherman Oaks Galleria
Sherman Oaks Galleria is an open-air shopping mall and business center located in the Sherman Oaks neighborhood of Los Angeles, California, United States, at the corner of Ventura and Sepulveda Boulevards in the San Fernando Valley.
The teenage ...
in
Sherman Oaks, California, where
Warner Bros. Animation
Warner Bros. Animation Inc. is an American animation studio which is part of the Warner Bros. Television Studios division of Warner Bros., a flagship of Warner Bros. Discovery. As the successor to Warner Bros. Cartoons, which was active from 19 ...
was located. This relocation was executed by its chief executive,
Jean MacCurdy
Jean H. MacCurdy is an American television executive, best known for her role as president of Warner Bros. Animation from 1989 to 2001.
Career
MacCurdy began her career as a secretary in the Children's Programming Department at the NBC Televi ...
.
On July 21, 1999, Cartoon Network officially started the studio to separate itself from the complete folding of Hanna-Barbera into Warner Bros. Animation that started after the Time Warner merger. Following the death of the studio's co-founder
William Hanna
William Denby Hanna (July 14, 1910 – March 22, 2001) was an American animator and cartoonist who was the creator of ''Tom and Jerry'' as well as the voice actor for the two title characters. Alongside Joseph Barbera, he also founded the anim ...
in 2001, Cartoon Network Studios took over the animation function of
Hanna-Barbera
Hanna-Barbera Cartoons, Inc. ( ) was an American animation studio and production company which was active from 1957 to 2001. It was founded on July 7, 1957, by William Hanna and Joseph Barbera following the decision of Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer to c ...
.
Separating under Cartoon Network
In 2000, Cartoon Network Studios transferred its production offices to a new facility located at 300 N 3rd St. in
Burbank, California
Burbank is a city in the southeastern end of the San Fernando Valley in Los Angeles County, California, United States. Located northwest of downtown Los Angeles, Burbank has a population of 107,337. The city was named after David Burbank, w ...
, which was the location of a former
Pacific Bell
The Pacific Bell Telephone Company (Pacific Bell or Pac Bell) is a telephone company that provides telephone service in California. The company is owned by AT&T through AT&T Teleholdings, and, though separate, is now marketed as “AT&T”. The ...
telephone exchange. Former
DiC and
Nickelodeon
Nickelodeon (often shortened to Nick) is an American pay television television channel, channel which launched on April 1, 1979, as the first cable channel for children. It is run by Paramount Global through its List of assets owned by Param ...
employees
Brian A. Miller and Jennifer Pelphrey have managed the company since it began production in the same year. The current headquarters of the animation studio was christened on May 22, 2000, by veteran animator and animation advisor
Joseph Barbera with a bottle of champagne.
In 2002, the studio produced two television pilots for Cartoon Network's late night programming block
Adult Swim
Adult Swim (AS; stylized as dult swim
Dult is a village in Batala in Gurdaspur district of Punjab State, India. It is located from sub district headquarter, from district headquarter and from Sri Hargobindpur. The village is administrated by Sarpanch an elected representati ...
and often abbreviated as s is an American adult-oriented night-time cable television Television channel, channel that shares channel space with the basic cable network Cartoon Network and is programme ...
: ''
Welcome to Eltingville
''Welcome to Eltingville'' is an American adult animated comedy pilot created by Evan Dorkin, as an adaptation of his comic book series '' Eltingville''. It premiered in the United States on March 3, 2002, on Cartoon Network's late night programm ...
'' and ''
The Groovenians''. Neither of them were picked as full series. Also, the studio released this year its only theatrical film to date: ''
The Powerpuff Girls Movie
''The Powerpuff Girls Movie'' is a 2002 American animated superhero film based on the Cartoon Network animated television series ''The Powerpuff Girls''. It was co-written and directed by series' creator Craig McCracken (in his directorial debut) ...
'', based on ''
The Powerpuff Girls
''The Powerpuff Girls'' is an American superhero animated television series created by animator Craig McCracken and produced by Hanna-Barbera (later Cartoon Network Studios) for Cartoon Network and distributed by Warner Bros. Domestic Telev ...
'', which received positive reviews from critics but performed poorly at the box office. In 2006, Cartoon Network Studios collaborated with sister studio
Williams Street
Williams Street Productions, LLC, d/b/a Williams Street and formerly known as Ghost Planet Industries, is an American animation and live action television production studio owned by the Warner Bros. Television Studios division of Warner Bros., ...
for the first time for ''
Korgoth of Barbaria
''Korgoth of Barbaria'' is a pilot episode for what was originally planned as an American adult animated television series created by Aaron Springer, a storyboard artist, writer and director for ''Dexter's Laboratory'', '' The Grim Adventures of ...
'', a television pilot made for Adult Swim, which was also not green-lit as a series.
In 2007, Cartoon Network Studios began its first foray into
live-action
Live action (or live-action) is a form of cinematography or videography that uses photography instead of animation. Some works combine live-action with animation to create a live-action animated film. Live-action is used to define film, video ...
with the hybrid series ''
Out of Jimmy's Head
''Out of Jimmy's Head'' (abbreviated as ''OOJH'') is an American teen sitcom. It was advertised as the first Cartoon Network original series in its genre, and is based on the network's 2006 film '' Re-Animated''. The series was produced by Cart ...
'', and then its first fully live-action project, ''
Ben 10: Race Against Time'' and its sequel, ''
Ben 10: Alien Swarm'', along with the television pilots ''Locker 514'', ''Siblings'' and ''Stan the Man''. The studio's first live-action series ''
Tower Prep
''Tower Prep'' is an American-Canadian 13-episode live-action teen science-fiction television series created by Paul Dini for Cartoon Network. It aired between October 12 to December 28, 2010. Prior to ''Tower Prep'', Dini was a producer and wri ...
'' would arrive in 2010. Former
New Line Television
New Line Television was the television production arm of the film studio of the same name. It was active for about 20 years from 1988 to 2008.
History
The company was founded in 1988 to produce ''Freddy's Nightmares'', a television series based ...
producer Mark Costa was hired to oversee the projects and Cartoon Network Studios' live-action production company Alive and Kicking, Inc.. ''
Incredible Crew
''Incredible Crew'' is an American sketch comedy television series, created by Nick Cannon for Cartoon Network. Cannon created the series in early 2012, and the series aired from January 24 to April 11, 2013, featuring a 22-minute run time.
...
'' was the last series in that genre the studio produced for Cartoon Network. Despite the failure of live-action on the channel, the studio's infrastructure was retained to produce live-action fare for sibling programming block Adult Swim, identifying on-air as Alive and Kicking, along with two other companies (Rent Now Productions and Factual Productions), instead of using the Cartoon Network Studios banner.
2010s
Exploring animation
In 2010, ''
Adventure Time
''Adventure Time'' is an American fantasy animated television series created by Pendleton Ward for Cartoon Network and distributed by Warner Bros. Domestic Television. The series follows the adventures of a boy named Finn (Jeremy Shada) and ...
'' premiered on Cartoon Network. It began life as
a short featured on
Nicktoons
Nicktoons is a collective name used by Nickelodeon for their original animated series. All Nicktoons are produced partly at the Nickelodeon Animation Studio and list Nickelodeon's parent company (Viacom, now known as Paramount Global) in their ...
' ''
Random! Cartoons
''Random! Cartoons'' is an American animated anthology series that aired on Nicktoons. Much like '' Oh Yeah! Cartoons'', it was created by Fred Seibert and produced by Frederator Incorporated and Nickelodeon Animation Studio. It premiered on De ...
'' that was ultimately not green-lit as a series by that channel.
Cartoon Network picked it up later, and production of the show moved to Cartoon Network Studios. The show ran until 2018 with 10 seasons and 283 episodes. A film was announced in 2015, but in 2018 Adam Muto said that the film was never officially announced. In 2019, a continuation, titled ''
Adventure Time: Distant Lands'', was announced for
HBO Max
HBO Max is an American subscription video on-demand over-the-top streaming service owned by Warner Bros. Discovery. Launched in the United States on May 27, 2020, the service is built around the libraries of HBO, Warner Bros., Cartoon Netw ...
with a release in 2020. Also this year, ''
The Cartoonstitute
''The Cartoonstitute'' was a planned Cartoon Network project created by Cartoon Network's executive Rob Sorcher that would have been a showcase for animated shorts created without the interference of network executives and focus testing. It was he ...
'', an incubator series similar to ''What a Cartoon!'', debuted on Cartoon Network Video. The pilots of ''
Regular Show
''Regular Show'' (known as ''Regular Show in Space'' during its eighth season) is an American animated sitcom created by J. G. Quintel for Cartoon Network. It ran from September 6, 2010, to January 16, 2017, over the course of eight seasons a ...
'' and ''
Uncle Grandpa
''Uncle Grandpa'' is an American animated television series created by Peter Browngardt for Cartoon Network. It ran from September 2, 2013 to June 30, 2017. It is based on Browngardt's animated short of the same name from the unaired '' Cartoons ...
'' were presented here among with other shorts, with the ''Uncle Grandpa'' pilot also serving as a basis for ''
Secret Mountain Fort Awesome
''Secret Mountain Fort Awesome'' is an American animated television series created by Peter Browngardt for Cartoon Network that debuted in 2011. The show revolves around a fraternity of five monsters who unleash wild stunts upon the public from t ...
'', which preceded the actual series.
In 2014, Cartoon Network Studios produced its first miniseries, ''
Over the Garden Wall
''Over the Garden Wall'' is an American animated television miniseries created by Patrick McHale for Cartoon Network. The series centers on two half-brothers who travel across a mysterious forest to find their way home, encountering a variet ...
''. The following year, ''
Long Live the Royals'' was also premiered.
In 2016, the studio produced
two
2 (two) is a number, numeral and digit. It is the natural number following 1 and preceding 3. It is the smallest and only even prime number. Because it forms the basis of a duality, it has religious and spiritual significance in many cultur ...
reboots based on ''The Powerpuff Girls'' and ''
Ben 10
''Ben 10'' is an American media franchise created by Man of Action Studios, produced by Cartoon Network Studios and owned by Warner Bros. Discovery. The series centers on a boy named Ben Tennyson who acquires the Omnitrix, an alien device rese ...
'' respectively.
Also, the studio produced its first television series based on a series of online shorts, ''
Mighty Magiswords
Mighty may refer to:
* ''Mighty'' (The Planet Smashers album)
* ''Mighty'' (Kristene DiMarco album)
* ''The Mighty'' (1929 film), a 1929 American action film
*'' The Mighty'', a 1998 comedy-drama film
* ''The Mighty'' (comics), a DC Comics title
* ...
''.
In 2017, after plans as old as 2002
for a film failed to work,
''
Samurai Jack
''Samurai Jack'' is an American animated action-adventure television series created by Genndy Tartakovsky for Cartoon Network and distributed by Warner Bros. Domestic Television. Tartakovsky conceived ''Samurai Jack'' after finishing his wor ...
'' was revived for
a fifth and final season, which the studio returned to produce for Adult Swim, to critical acclaim, concluding the series after its cancellation from Cartoon Network in 2004. Also this year, it was announced that Cartoon Network Studios, in collaboration with Studio T, would produce the adult animated series ''
Close Enough
''Close Enough'' is an American animated sitcom created by J. G. Quintel. Originally intended to air on TBS in 2017, the project faced various delays and setbacks before eventually premiering on HBO Max on July 9, 2020. The series has received ...
'' for
TBS, created by ''Regular Show'' creator
J. G. Quintel.
In 2019, after handling a few episodes of ''
Harvey Birdman, Attorney at Law
''Harvey Birdman, Attorney at Law'' is an American adult animated television sitcom created by Michael Ouweleen and Erik Richter for Cartoon Network's late-night programming block, Adult Swim. A spin-off of ''Space Ghost Coast to Coast'', the ...
'', the second season of ''
Black Dynamite'', the above-mentioned fifth season of ''Samurai Jack'' and producing the above-mentioned television pilots ''Welcome to Eltingville'', ''The Groovenians'' and ''Korgoth of Barbaria'', Cartoon Network Studios produced its first full program for Adult Swim: ''
Primal
Primal may refer to:
Psychotherapy
* ''Primal'', the core concept in primal therapy, denotes the full reliving and cathartic release of an early traumatic experience
* Primal scene (in psychoanalysis), refers to the witnessing by a young child of ...
'', an adult animated series from Genndy Tartakovsky. The first five episodes were also packaged for a limited theatrical release as a feature film titled ''Primal: Tales of Savagery''.
Cartoon Network Studios also began to produce content for parent company
WarnerMedia
Warner Media, LLC ( traded as WarnerMedia) was an American multinational mass media and entertainment conglomerate. It was headquartered at the 30 Hudson Yards complex in New York City, United States.
It was originally established in 1972 by ...
's upcoming streaming service
HBO Max
HBO Max is an American subscription video on-demand over-the-top streaming service owned by Warner Bros. Discovery. Launched in the United States on May 27, 2020, the service is built around the libraries of HBO, Warner Bros., Cartoon Netw ...
, including ''
Adventure Time: Distant Lands.''
After the failure of its planned animation block, ''Close Enough'' was also shifted from TBS to HBO Max.
2020s
In August 2020, Warner Bros. Animation president
Sam Register
Samuel Barnard Register (born June 16, 1969) is an American television producer, animator, and businessman. He is the president of Warner Bros. Animation, Cartoon Network Studios, and Hanna-Barbera Studios Europe.
Career
Formerly Vice President ...
was appointed head of the studio. Amy Friedman was named head of programming for Cartoon Network after
Rob Sorcher
Robert Sorcher (born December 22, 1961) is an American television executive producer for Warner Bros. Television Group. Sorcher was formerly executive vice president and global chief content officer at Cartoon Network, starting his job in 2008, ...
resigned his roles as head of the studio and chief content officer, and switching to
Warner Bros. Television Group for an overall production deal.
In 2021, Jason DeMarco was named SVP for Anime & Action Series/Longform for Warner Bros. Animation and Cartoon Network Studios, and Cartoon Network Studios Europe was renamed
Hanna-Barbera Studios Europe
Hanna-Barbera Studios Europe Ltd. (HBSE, formerly Great Marlborough Productions and previously known as Cartoon Network Studios Europe and Cartoon Network Development Studio Europe) is a British animation studio based in London and owned by the ...
as a tribute to the original Hanna-Barbera studio.
On May 11, 2022, after
Tom Ascheim
Tom Ascheim is an American television producer and executive. He most recently served president of Warner Bros. Global Kids, Young Adults and Classics from July 2020 until May 2022. From 1998 to 2003, Ascheim was the general manager of Noggin, wh ...
exited his role as president and departed, the
Warner Bros. Global Kids, Young Adults and Classics
Warner Bros. Television Studios (operating under the name Warner Bros. Television; formerly known as Warner Bros. Television Division) is an American television production and distribution studio of the Warner Bros. Television Group division of ...
division was dissolved as part of a restructuring by new owner
Warner Bros. Discovery
Warner Bros. Discovery, Inc. (WBD) is an American multinational mass media and entertainment conglomerate headquartered at 230 Park Avenue South in New York City. It was formed after the spin-off of WarnerMedia by AT&T, and its merger with Di ...
, with its studios—including Cartoon Network Studios—moved directly under
Warner Bros. Television
Warner Bros. Television Studios (operating under the name Warner Bros. Television; formerly known as Warner Bros. Television Division) is an American television production and distribution studio of the Warner Bros. Television Group division of ...
.
On October 11, 2022, Cartoon Network Studios and Warner Bros. Animation consolidated their development and production teams as part of a restructuring by Warner Bros. Television, with Audrey Diehl overseeing kids and family, Peter Girardi overseeing adult animation, and Sammy Perlmutter overseeing animated longform productions. The merger will not impact their output as labels, with Cartoon Network Studios continuing to focus on original content, and Warner Bros. Animation used for classic franchises.
Filmography
See also
*
List of programs broadcast by Cartoon Network
This is a list of television programs currently or formerly broadcast by Cartoon Network in the United States. The network was launched on October 1, 1992, and airs mainly animated programming, ranging from action to animated comedy. In its ea ...
*
List of animation studios owned by Warner Bros. Discovery
**
Hanna-Barbera
Hanna-Barbera Cartoons, Inc. ( ) was an American animation studio and production company which was active from 1957 to 2001. It was founded on July 7, 1957, by William Hanna and Joseph Barbera following the decision of Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer to c ...
- the former owner and predecessor of Cartoon Network Studios
**
Hanna-Barbera Studios Europe
Hanna-Barbera Studios Europe Ltd. (HBSE, formerly Great Marlborough Productions and previously known as Cartoon Network Studios Europe and Cartoon Network Development Studio Europe) is a British animation studio based in London and owned by the ...
- European sister studio of Cartoon Network Studios owned by
Warner Bros. Television Studios UK
Warner Bros. Television Studios UK (formerly Shed Media Group and later Warner Bros. Television Productions UK) is a British creator and distributor of television content. The Group produces long-running television brands in drama, factual, doc ...
**
Warner Bros. Animation
Warner Bros. Animation Inc. is an American animation studio which is part of the Warner Bros. Television Studios division of Warner Bros., a flagship of Warner Bros. Discovery. As the successor to Warner Bros. Cartoons, which was active from 19 ...
- sister studio of Cartoon Network Studios
**
Williams Street
Williams Street Productions, LLC, d/b/a Williams Street and formerly known as Ghost Planet Industries, is an American animation and live action television production studio owned by the Warner Bros. Television Studios division of Warner Bros., ...
- sister studio of Cartoon Network Studios
References
External links
*
{{Navboxes, list=
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{{Burbank, California
{{Animation industry in the United States
1994 establishments in California
American animation studios
Studios
A studio is an artist or worker's workroom. This can be for the purpose of acting, architecture, painting, pottery ( ceramics), sculpture, origami, woodworking, scrapbooking, photography, graphic design, filmmaking, animation, industrial design ...
Entertainment companies based in California
Companies based in Burbank, California
American companies established in 1994
Mass media companies established in 1994
Warner Bros. Television Studios
Warner Bros. divisions