‘Animaniacs’ Reboot Set to Premiere November 20

By SARAH SHMERLING | Editor-in-Chief

More than two decades since the finale of the original series, “Animaniacs” will return to television on November 20 after the reboot project was originally announced in 2018.

“After 22 years, they are back and zanier than ever,” a Twitter bio about the show promises.

Once again executive produced by Palisadian Steven Spielberg, the reboot contract includes two seasons, set to release this year and next. Other executive producers signed onto the project include Justin Falvey, Darryl Frank, Wellesley Wild and Sam Register, as well as Joann Estoesta as producer, Candi Purugganan as associate producer and Gabe Swarr as co-executive producer.

“Reboots are symptomatic of a fundamental lack of originality in Hollywood,” Yakko laments to the camera in a recently released trailer.

“Have you no shame?” Dot responds.

The 2020 version will feature the Yakko, Wakko and Dot causing mayhem on the Warner Bros. studio lot, with the trailer showing updated takes on technology, the concept of catfishing and Beyoncé—but some things remain the same, including Pinky and the Brain creating diabolical schemes to take over the world.

All of the main cast members from the original series, which featured 99 episodes and ran from 1993 to 1998, have returned, including Jess Harnell as the voice of Wakko Warner, Tress MacNeille as Dot Warner, and Rob Paulsen as Yakko Warner and Pinky. The Brain will once again be voiced by Maurice LaMarche.

Spielberg will voice the role of Andy Milder in the first episode, according to IMDb.

Spouses and film score composers Julie and Steven Bernstein, who won Emmy Awards for music in the original series, are also on board for the new project. Spielberg came up with the concept to feature an original musical score in every episode. The original series used a 35-piece orchestra and seven composers.

“I’m so ready for this,” one fan of the show wrote in a tweet. “I loved this show back in the day. I’m glad to see their humor hasn’t changed.”

The reboot will feature 13 episodes in total, which will be available for streaming via Hulu, with the first titled “Jurassic Park/Suspended Animation/Of Mice and Memes.”