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How to watch Bugs, Daffy, Porky, and all the Looney Tunes in order

Want to get started on watching Looney Tunes? Here’s how to do it!

Joshua Lapin-Bertone
Guides by Joshua Lapin-Bertone, Contributing writer
Published on

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What’s up doc?

It’s hard to imagine what our world would be like without the Looney Tunes. Bugs Bunny, Daffy Duck, Porky Pig, and all their friends have engrained themselves into our cultural DNA. Phrases like ‘what’s up doc,’ ‘you’re despicable,’ ‘you realize this means war,’ and ‘I twought I thaw a puddy cat’ are part of our everyday lexicon. Even the age of social media hasn’t slowed the Looney Tunes down, as Bugs and Daffy regularly appear in memes and gifs. It’s like every season is rabbit season (or duck season).

Looney Tunes began as a series of theatrical shorts in 1930. Once characters like Bugs Bunny, Daffy Duck, and Porky Pig were introduced, there was no going back. Over the past century, the Looney Tunes have propelled Warner Bros. Animation into one of the premier cartoon studios. The Looney Tunes are some of the most recognizable characters in the world, appearing in major motion pictures, theme park attractions, shoe commercials and more.

If you’ve ever wanted to watch Looney Tunes from the beginning, but weren’t sure where to start, Popverse has you covered! Just use this handy guide, and don’t forget to take that left turn in Albuquerque.

How to watch Looney Tunes in release order

Looney Tunes has been around since 1930, so there are a lot of cartoons to go through. However, there is little to no continuity between them, so you could watch them in any order you want. If you wanted to watch EVERY Looney Tunes cartoon though, it’s going to take a while. This release order list should help you navigate their historic filmography.

It’s worth noting that many Looney Tunes television shows and specials are repackaged compilations of their theatrical shorts. Various networks have put those cartoons in different syndication packages under various titles. That’s why you’ll notice multiple shows with the name Merrie Melodies or The Bugs Bunny/Road Runner show. At times these shows will contain original animation in their bumpers or in framing sequences, but there are times when there is no original material.

It wouldn’t be right to leave the compilation shows and movies off, since some of them have new animation. As a result, you’ll see that we’ve noted when a Looney Tunes show, special, or movie is a compilation. That way you can feel free to skip those if you’re looking for productions that only contain original animation.

We’ve also had to distinguish what could be considered a Looney Tunes show, and what isn’t. Tiny Toons features Bugs and the other Looney Tunes in supporting roles, therefore it’s considered a Looney Tunes show. Animaniacs and Freakazoid are Warner Bros. cartoons that have a similar vibe to Looney Tunes, and have crossed over, but they shouldn’t be considered Looney Tunes cartoons. Don’t worry, we address Animaniacs and other projects in our crossover section.

With that in mind, here’s how to watch Looney Tunes….

 

Will Coyote vs. Acme ever be released?

Despite popular demand, there are currently no plans to release Coyote vs. Acme. The unreleased film was a live-action/animation hybrid, similar to movies like Who Framed Roger Rabbit, where cartoon characters interact with human actors. Coyote vs. Acme was inspired by the New Yorker article of the same name, which speculated on what would happen if Wile E. Coyote ever sued the Acme corporation. The film starred Will Forte and John Cena, and featured a story from James Gunn, Jeremy Slater, and Samy Burch.

This sounds hilarious, so what happened?

In November 2023 it was reported that Warner Bros. Discovery would be shelving the completed film in order to collect a $30 million tax write-off. The move created a backlash, causing WBD to reverse course and shop the film to interested distributors. It was reported that some distributors had placed bids, but no deals were made. Warner Bros. reportedly rejected the bids, opting to take the tax write-off.

However, the door may not be closed. During a 2024 interview, Samy Burch told IndieWire that conversations were still happening, and that the film could still be released. A Warner Bros. Discovery spokesman also told the New York Times that the movie still available if any potential distributor makes the right bid.

If The Day the Earth Blew Up: A Looney Tunes Movie does well in theaters, I wouldn’t be surprised if conversations resume about releasing Coyote vs. Acme.

 

Where else have Bugs Bunny and the Looney Tunes appeared?

Bugs Bunny, Daffy Duck, Porky Pig, and the rest of the Looney Tunes are some of the most iconic characters in pop culture. As a result, they’ve appeared in various other cartoons, movies, television commercials, theme park attractions, and more.

I would burn a hole in my keyboard if I tried to document every guest appearance Bugs and the gang have made. However, here is a quick breakdown of some of their most notable cameos.

  • Who Framed Roger Rabbit (1988) – This film depicts cartoon characters living alongside humans in the real world. Numerous Looney Tunes character appear, including Bugs, who shares a brief scene with Mickey Mouse. To date, this is the only time the two cartoon giants have appeared together onscreen in an official project.
  • Cartoon All-Stars to the Rescue (1990) – Bugs Bunny and Daffy Duck appear along with a variety of other cartoon characters in this half-hour anti-drug PSA.
  • Gremlins 2: The New Batch (1990) – The film includes animated segments featuring the Looney Tunes.
  • Animaniacs (1993) – While Animaniacs isn’t an official Looney Tunes cartoon, it can be considered a spiritual successor. Both are Warner Bros. cartoons that feature a similar style of humor. The Looney Tunes spinoff character Elmyra Duff would go join Animaniacs characters Pinky and the Brain in their own show (the less said about that, the better). While Bugs and his friends didn’t play a large role in the Animaniacs cartoons, the Looney Tunes did make cameo appearances from time to time.
  • Teen Titans Go! (2023) – Bugs and the rest of the Looney Tunes make various cameos throughout this cartoon series, particularly the 2023 Warner Bros. 100th Anniversary special.

What are the best Looney Tunes cartoons?

With almost a century of cartoons to choose from, you might be wondering which Looney Tunes shorts are the best. The answer is a matter of opinion and personal preference, so there is no scientific way to determine it. However, if you’re looking for somewhere to start, here are 5 Looney Tunes shorts that appear on many ‘best of” lists. It’s worth noting that they’re all from the ‘50s, which was a great decade for Warner Bros. cartoons.

  • Rabbit of Seville (1950) – Bugs evades Elmer in a fun short set to music from the classic opera The Barber of Seville. The scene where Bugs acts as a hairdresser is one of the best animated sequences in Looney Tunes history.
  • Rabit Fire (1951) – Bugs tries to convince Elmer Fudd that it’s duck season, while Daffy tries to convince him that it’s rabbit season. The short contains the iconic ‘rabbit season, duck season’ gag, which has become a popular internet gif.
  • Duck Amuck (1953) – A surreal cartoon where an unseen animator (later revealed to be Bugs) forces Daffy to change shape and go through various ordeals. One of the most imaginative cartoons Warner Bros. ever produced.
  • One Froggy Evening (1955) – A man tries to get rich off a frog who performs vaudeville songs…the only problem is he won’t repeat his act in front of an audience. This cartoon was the debut of Michigan J. Frog, a character who later became the mascot for the WB television network.
  • What’s Opera Doc? (1957) – A Bugs vs. Elmer cartoon set to the music of various Richard Wagner operas. In 1992 the Library of Congress deemed it “culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant.”


What are the banned Looney Tunes cartoons?

While some Looney Tunes cartoons are considered timeless, there are some which haven’t aged well. In 1968 United Artists (who held the distribution rights to Looney Tunes) pulled 11 shorts from their syndication packages due to their use of racist stereotypes. These shorts have become known as the Censored Eleven. Here’s a brief breakdown of them….

  • Hittin’ the Trail for Hallelujah Land (1931) – Riverboat adventure cartoon short, banned for its negative depictions of African-Americans.
  • Sunday Go to Meetin’ Time (1936) – An African-American churchgoer dreams he’s in Hell. This cartoon was banned for its negative depictions of African-Americans.
  • Clean Pastures (1937) – God sends a group of angels to Harlem. This cartoon was banned for its negative depictions of Africans-Americans.
  • Uncle Tom’s Bungalow (1937) – A parody of Uncle Tom’s Cabin. This short was banned for its use of ethnic stereotypes.
  • Jungle Jitters (1938) – A salesman is targeted by jungle cannibals. This cartoon was banned for its negative depictions of Native Americans and African-Americans.
  • The Isle of Pingo Pongo (1938) – A travelogue showcasing the Isle of Pingo Pongo. This cartoon was banned for its negative depiction of African-Americans.
  • All This and Rabbit Stew (1941) – Bugs Bunny has some fun with a black hunter. This cartoon was banned for its use of negative ethnic stereotypes.
  • Coal Black and de Sebben Dwarfs (1943) – A reimagining of Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs. This cartoon was banned for its negative depiction of African-Americans.
  • Tin Pan Alley Cats (1943) – A cartoon about a cat who loves jazz. This short was banned for its use of negative ethnic stereotypes.
  • Angel Puss (1944) – A feline pretends to haunt a young black hunter. This cartoon was banned for its negative African stereotypes.
  • Goldilocks and the Jivin’ Bears (1944) – A reimagining of Goldilocks and the Three Bears, but far more racist. Naturally, it was banned.

Other Looney Tunes cartoons have been pulled from syndication or removed from home video collections. For example, Hiawatha’s Rabbit Hunt is a Bug Bunny cartoon featuring a racist depiction of Native Americans, and Any Bonds Today features Bugs Bunny in blackface. For a full breakdown of every problematic Looney Tunes cartoon, please refer to this page from IMDb.

 

Why did HBO Max remove all the Looney Tunes cartoons?

In 2023 it was reported that the streaming service Max would be removing all the classic Looney Tunes & Merrie Melodies shorts from their library. However, Warner Bros. Discovery released a statement clarifying that the original press release had included Looney Tunes on their removal list by mistake. The service formerly known as HBO Max is still the home of Looney Tunes.

While Max didn’t remove all the Looney Tunes cartoons, 256 shorts were removed in December 2022. This was due to a licensing deal expiring. Although Max and Warner Bros. Animation are both owned by the same parent company, Max is still required to pay licensing fees to Warner Bros. Animation in order to stream Looney Tunes.

While they never stated the reasoning, it’s speculated the 256 shorts were removed from the service in order to cut costs as the licensing deal was renewed. Whatever the case, Max still has a decades worth of Looney Tunes cartoons in their streaming library.

 

What’s the difference between Looney Tunes and Merrie Melodies?

It might seem hard to distinguish between a Looney Tunes or Merrie Melodies cartoon. Both feature the same characters and have a similar format. However, this wasn’t always the case. When Merrie Melodies was launched in 1931, it was a completely different series than Looney Tunes, which had premiered the previous year.

Looney Tunes cartoons had recurring characters, such as Bosko and Buddy. Merrie Melodies cartoons were mostly one-off shorts with a greater emphasis on music. In 1934 Merrie Melodies switched from black-and-white to color, a transition Looney Tunes wouldn’t make until 1943.

However, the line began to blur between the two cartoons. Merrie Melodies began to introduce recurring characters, such as Bugs Bunny. The emphasis on looney superstars pushed the cartoons in a new direction, and characters like Bugs Bunny and Daffy Duck began appearing in both series.

Warner Bros. frequently sold Merrie Melodies and Looney Tunes together for television syndication packages, further blurring the line between the two. During a 1975 interview, animator Friz Freleng said he was never sure if the short he was animating would get the Looney Tunes or Merrie Melodies branding, and it didn’t matter.

 

Is it Looney Tunes or Looney Toons?

The cartoons have always been known as Looney Tunes, not Looney Toons. The reason it’s called Looney Tunes is because the early cartoons had a larger emphasis on music. The name is also a nod to WB’s competitor Disney, who had a series of cartoon shorts titled Silly Symphonies. In addition, the name Looney Tunes goes along with WB’s other cartoon series, Merrie Melodies.

While some viewers remember the series being called Looney Tunes, this is considered an example of the Mandela Effect. The fact that Warner Bros. Animation produced a spinoff titled Tiny Toons has also confused the issue. Either way, if someone tells you that they swear it was once called Looney Toons, just know that their memory is playing a trick on them.

 

Where can I watch Looney Tunes?

If you want to have zany fun with the Looney Tunes, then a Max subscription is your best bet. The streaming service is currently home to countless hours of Looney Tunes content. While many of the classic shorts have been removed, Max still has decades worth of Looney Tunes and Merrie Melodies shorts in their streaming library. You can also find numerous Looney Tunes spinoff projects like Tiny Toons: Looniversity and Sylvester & Tweety Mysteries. The 2021 film Space Jam: A New Legacy can also be found on Max.

The 1996 Space Jam film is currently streaming on Tubi. The 2003 film Looney Tunes: Back in Action isn’t on any streaming services at the moment, but it can be purchased digitally from a variety of video-on-demand services including Apple TV, Amazon Prime Video, Google Play, and more.

Please note, the availability of these cartoons might change as streaming licenses expire and new deals are made.

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Joshua Lapin-Bertone

Joshua Lapin-Bertone: Joshua is a pop culture writer specializing in comic book media. His work has appeared on the official DC Comics website, the DC Universe subscription service, HBO Max promotional videos, the Batman Universe fansite, and more. In between traveling around the country to cover various comic conventions, Joshua resides in Florida where he binges superhero television and reads obscure comics from yesteryear.

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