WMG / Tiny Toons Looniversity

Pre-release

Elmyra's expulsion from the reboot is due to the reception that Pinky, Elmyra & the Brain received.

There's no beating around the bush. Pinky, Elmyra and the Brain was a failure. All parties involved didn't even try to hide their contempt for the idea and it was so negatively received, it didn't get a DVD release until 2013.

In short, it was one of the absolute benchmarks for bad crossovers.

Back in the 90s, Elmyra was both the executives and Spielberg's Creator's Pet. She was shoehorned into almost every Warner Bros cartoon that he produced. They seemed to try to push her own spinoff. Why would Steven agree to his favourite character being removed from the reboot?

The answer is that it's uncanny how attitudes change over time. And Elmyra is no exception.

It's reminiscent of the backlash that Scrappy-Doo received in the 2000s, where it became a rule to insult him at least once.

The higher ups at Warner Bros saw Elmyra's status as The Scrappy and saw her as "the animal abusing idiot who ruined Pinky and the Brain".

Therefore, she was out of the show.

• In addition to this theory, there is a chance that Elmyra will get the same treatment as Scrappy-Doo. Animaniacs (2020) insulted her in the form of a rap battle lyric, and both that show and Tiny Toons Looniversity have different writing teams to their respective original shows. And it’s not too far-fetched that they have a particular dislike towards her. Don't be too surprised if Elmyra becomes a walking Self-Deprecation gag.

Possibilities for the reboot series

• Eric Bauza will take over the roles of Joe Alaskey. Given his performance in the new Looney Tunes Cartoons, he could probably nail Plucky's voice.
  • Jossed, as he instead takes the role of Buster (and Daffy Duck).
• Lola Bunny will appear in the show as a Decomposite Character for Babs. Lola didn't exist during the original show's run, which ended two years before her debut in Space Jam, so Babs along with Buster were both counterparts to Bugs.
  • Confirmed. She can be seen in this trailer, where she can be seen rolling pizza dough at the Looniversity cafeteria.
• Shirley the Loon will be remodeled to actually look like a loon, and not a duck. Lesser-known species are increasingly appearing in today's media. There doesn't even need to be a Toon Physics explanation; she could have simply molted her feathers.
  • Jossed.
• One/some of the returning characters, if not at least a new one, will be queer. Erin Gibson, the new showrunner, is an LGBTQ+ activist after all.

Elmyra was booted from the reboot because Cree Summer is too old to reprise the role. The character will be replaced by a similar one out of respect for Cree.

Cree Summer is Elmyra's voice actress, and unlike characters like Plucky or Hamton (whose voice actors will be replaced), she isn't just a simple Looney Tunes knockoff with plenty of soundalikes. As such, instead of booting the character wholesale, they're going to replace Elmyra with a retooled version of the character. Either a downplayed version who's just an innocent little girl learning to take better care of pets, or a sincere villain who knowingly is hunting down toon animals and forcing them to be her pets like a creepy slave driver.

• Sorry, had to say that it just seems like this theory is dismissing other voice actors and glorifying one over everyone else. Why is it unacceptable to recast one character but okay for another?

Out of backlash and demand, Elmyra will be return in Season 2 of Looniversity.

Assuming they haven't gotten around to writing Season 2 yet, the writers and producers will take note of every fans dissapointment and frustration. Sure, Elmyra may have sometimes been an unnecessary nuisance, but she did have something to add to the show. Maybe then, they'll write up or rewrite their original draft to reintroduce Elmyra and shoe-horn a proper in-universe explanation for her absence, of course they could lampshade it since there's No Fourth Wall.

• Also take a closer look at the cast picture here, Elmyra is behind Buster in the television next to Monty! This could either mean that Elmyra can return and be adjusted to become more likable or they're mocking us fans who want her back and Buster and Babs a couple again (but hopefully more the former).

If Elmyra will return in Looniversity, she'll be recast with a white actress instead of Cree Summer voicing her.

Oh, don't be surprised. The Simpsons, Family Guy and some other shows had color characters voiced by white people (like Hank Azaria as Apu, an Indian, and Mike Henry as Cleveland Brown, an African-American), who were recently recast due to the George Floyd riots in 2020, so it's extremely possible that Looniversity will pull something similar to what those shows did by recasting Cree Summer with someone else as the voice of Elmyra, like Nika Futterman.

As a possible nod to the fandom, it will be revealed Fifi ended up leaving Hamton for Furball in the future

• Although it's still possible Hamton can find another lover somewhere down the line.

Arnold the Pit Bull will not be in the reboot.

Owing to real-life horror stories about the breed, and the bans in place in many areas (not California, though laws for ownership are quite stringent), poor Arnold will not be seen. Furrball's nemesis will simply have to be another less controversial breed.

• Pit bulls were already controversial in the 90s. That's why Arnold was made a pit bull in the first place. If anything, they're less controversial now, as many of those knee-jerk bandwagon bans have been rescinded, and some states outright ban cities from passing breed-specific legislation.
  • Jossed. Arnold makes a brief cameo appearance in "Tears of a Clone".

Elmyra will serve a similar purpose to Chicken Boo in Animaniacs (2020).

She will start following in Elmer Fudd's footsteps by hunting the animal toons in retaliation to being excluded from the reboot.

• Uhh...I hope not. I'd rather she just returns as a less-used regular.

Fifi La Fume will be excluded from the reboot.

Pepé Le Pew has been cut from Space Jam: A New Legacy and from future projects thanks to the Cancel Culture viewing him as a sexual predator. As Fifi is Pepe's Junior Counterpart, two of the four shorts she starred in are more or less rehashes of Pepe's shorts, the former involving her pursuing Furrball, and the latter involving her pursuing Calamity. This may very well result in Fifi joining Elmyra in being excluded from Tiny Toons Looniversity.

• Given that Penelope Pussycat got cut as well from the movie (and she only has done Pepe's schtick once), this may as well be very possible.
  • Jossed. Her appearance in official promotional artwork has confirmed that she will appear in the series. She's less boy-crazed and more grounded than her original series counterpart and also lacks its odor.

There are two directions this reboot can take.

1. Like Animaniacs (2020), Buster, Babs and Plucky will return.^note  They were announced to be in the reboot in press media. However, characters such as Shirley, Fifi, Hamton, Furrball, etc. will be removed and replaced. However, similarly to the aforementioned reboot, it’ll be revealed that the excluded characters are still around somewhere.

• Jossed. All of those characters appear in promo art and the trailer.

2. The announcement said that the characters will be “making friends” with each other. In the original show, they were already friends (e.g. the boy trio consisting of Buster, Plucky and Hamton, the girl trio of Babs, Shirley and Fifi). The reboot will actually be a Retcon of the original show and have everybody meet up with each other at university.

• Confirmed that it is a reboot, not just a relaunch. There obviously no continuity between them with the change of Babs and Buster to twins instead of "no relation".

It will be explained where Elmyra went.

The first episode will reveal that Elmyra was run out of town by PETA. Not only will this be a satisfying way to write her out of the show, it will also serve as a big Take That! towards PETA. And it'll also be revealed Brain tipped them off as revenge for Pinky, Elmyra, and the Brain.

The producers will give Mary Melody a more prominent role

With it being confirmed that Elmyra has been dropped from Tiny Toon Looniversity, maybe Warner Bros. decided to instead give Cree Summer's other character on the series, Mary Melody, an increased role in contrast to how little used she was in the original series, with a possible secondary reason being to increase the minority representation.

Minor and obscure Tiny Toon characters will get more focus and spotlight

Originally, there was plans for Lightning Rodriguez, who was to be like Speedy Gonzales but was reduced to cameos. He'll be a more featured character. Another is Marcia The Martian, Marvin's niece who will be an exchange student from Mars.

Out of demand from fans, the creators will decide to keep Buster and Babs unrelated after all.

When it was announced that Babs and Buster Bunny would be twin siblings in Looniversity as opposed to the unrelated couple that they were in the original 1990 series, longtime fans of the original series did not take this new change well, given that Buster and Babs' "No Relation" was one of the original series' most memorable running gags, to the point where it showed up in an episode of Animaniacs (1993) where the two rabbits made a cameo appearance. Even Tom Ruegger, one of the writers and producers of the original series disliked this change, as his response to it was "Ummm...ew?". Fans have gone as far to protest and make petitions demanding that Warner Bros. have Buster and Babs stay the unrelated couple they were in the original series. If Sonic the Hedgehog having his character redesigned for his first live-action movie by Paramount Pictures is any indication, fan input does lead to the final product's success.

• Jossed.

New Characters will be created for the Reboot

Basically, for every existing Looney Tunes character without a Tiny Toons counterpart, there's going to be one for this show. For example, there could be a new character based on Charlie Dog.

• There already appears to be a new character based on the infamous Cool Cat, and the obscure late-run Merlin the Magic Mouse appears, so inspiration from lesser-know and later characters do appear to be in the offing

The genre of the show will be a mix of comedy and drama

There's nothing wrong with a little looney going on the deep end.

Theme Song Ideas for the Reboot

Here is a list of potential theme songs for Tiny Toons Looniversity. It may be the original Tiny Toons but with different lyrics or a generic popular song to fit in with the new environment. Feel free to add to the list.

• "Rollercoaster" by Bleachers
• The original Tiny Toon Adventures theme song, but with different lyrics reflecting on the reboot's plot.
  • Confirmed.
  • For example they can sing "And in this reboot-y, we are back on your TV!"

Pepe Le Pew will be brought back for this series

Since Fifi La Fume will appear, it makes sense to include her mentor counterpart as well. They could go the route of developing his character and removing his more controversial traits, or at least giving him cameos here and there.

Alternatively, there will be an episode outright addressing Pepe's controversy.

Given the massive stink that was raised over it, it'd be weird for Fifi to be included without at least acknowledging it in some way or form. Perhaps there will be an episode centered on Fifi trying (and potentially failing) many other comedy styles due to no longer having a clear view path on where to head now.

• Adding to this, she may cross paths with her old mentor, having been fired from Acme Looniversity for reasons relating to his controversy. Pepe himself could encourage Fifi to find a new path in life, so as to prevent her from meeting the same fate he did.
  • Alternatively Pepe will be teaching a class about avoiding such controversy, using himself a a Deliberately Bad Example.

Post-release

Buster's and Babs' new/reboot love interests (if they have any kind of romance)

Since Buster and Babs are siblings in this show, the possibility of them being a couple has been sunk. Which leads to the idea that maybe it's Hampton or Plucky who Buster will have Ship Tease with, although it’s not yet known if they are LGBTQ+. The first episode in particular actually has many Ho Yay between Buster and Hampton and especially Buster and Plucky. The latter even have the Portmanteau Couple Name "Pluster".

The Warner siblings will make an appearance

Both Animaniacs and Tiny Toon Adventures were big hits of the 1990s that were rebooted more than 20 years later. Plus considering the sour note that the former reboot ended on, it would be great to see the Warners again, if only one last time to give the fans some proper closure...or as a Sequel Hook on the off chance it gets another season or movie to wrap up.

Sponge Bob Squarepants is to Aqua Loo as Bugs Bunny is to Acme Loo

I mean, come on. It's pretty obvious. Heck, many of the fish we see in said school are basically copyright-friendly versions of the type of fish you would find in Bikini Bottom.

• That would make sense, considering that SpongeBob is Nickelodeon's longest-running and most popular cartoon as of 2023, and as such is Warner Bros.' competition. Looney Tunes Cartoons was even nominated for a Kids' Choice Award in 2022, but lost it to SpongeBob, which has been a consistent KCA winner since 2003 (with the exception of 2008, when Avatar: The Last Airbender won the award instead).

Fifi and Shirley were originally supposed to be the main characters with Buster, Babs, Hamton and Plucky

The showrunners, being self-proclaimed huge fans of the original show, probably would have been aware of how well-liked Fifi and Shirley are. Starting with the second season, Tiny Toon Adventures introduced the “Boy Trio” (Buster, Plucky and Hamton) and the “Girl Trio” (Babs, Shirley and Fifi). They would often be seen together, even having an episode The Horror of Slumber Party Mountain. It’s not too far-fetched that this dynamic would become a major theme in the reboot. However, due to Executive Meddling, Sweetie was shoehorned into the main cast to mirror the cast of Bugs Bunny Builders. As a compromise, Fifi and Shirley often play roles in several episodes of the final product.

The Original series characters making a comeback

Since the "Looniversity" series Tiny Toon characters are counterparts to the original series characters, there’s a possibility that the original series characters will make a comeback in the near future probably and possibly in the reboot series where the counterparts will meet face to face.

• 90s Buster and Babs will give their shared "No relation" catchphrase to their modern counterparts, who will be discreetly disgusted that their past shelves are lovers.

Melissa Duck will make a triumphant comeback in this TV show

With her unexpected and surprising return in Looney Tunes: World of Mayhem, it is expected that Melissa Duck will finally make her debut appearance in her adult form in a TV show of the 21st century, as well as having a good chemistry with Plucky Duck and Shirley the Loon.

• Her comeback becomes super effective if Melissa Duck's debut episode has Shirley the Loon in a major role.

Alternatively, Tina Russo will appear.

Tina is far more popular among fans than Melissa, who's a rather obscure Flat Character in the shorts (not to mention being a Satellite Love Interest), while in Baby Looney Tunes she is a Bratty Half-Pint, while Tina is more likable and Closer to Earth than her love interest Daffy. Thus I think this show is opportunity for her to become Canon Immigrant. Her episode could resolve around her bonding with Plucky and bringing more of his positive qualities and becoming a better person than he already is, which makes sense given the reason why she decided to become Daffy's girlfriend in the first place.

• If Tina makes her debut in the show, it might cause Shirley the Loon to become very skeptical, similarly to Lisa Simpson in the newest seasons of The Simpsons. Because she thinks that Daffy's girlfriend is a blonde, tall and more human-like duck girl who talks and acts very nicely and softly. And that she doesn't expect the arrival of her rude and no-nonsense brunette cousin of his.

Plucky's parents have him on a tight budget

While he's implied to come from a more wealthy background in this continuity, his parents most likely only give him enough money to cover tuition, room and board, essentials and a small amount of spending money to do whatever. Anything else he has to earn on his own.

There will be A Day in the Limelight episodes featuring other Acme Looniversity students.

So far, the focus was on Buster, Babs, Plucky, Sweetie and Hamton while other students only served as secondary and/or background characters (with honorable exclusion of Dizzy, who had prominent role in Save the Loo Bru). So episodes focused on characters other than those five are possible. Here below are some suggestion:

• Shirley "the Loon" Mc Loon
• Fifi La Fume
• Calamity Coyote
• Little Beeper
• Furrball
• Marcia the Martian

When Elmyra will appear, she will get Adaptational Villainy treatment.

Going by the above mentioned WMG in the pre-release folder, she will follow in footsteps of her mentor Elmer Fudd, and hunt down the animal toons. Or alternatively, she will this time harm animals intentionally and on purpose, thus marking her reboot incarnation as sadist. But given how much Buster values Bugs, Elmyra will most likely suffer a brutal (and family non-friendly) Laser-Guided Karma, as ONE big Take That, Scrappy! moment.

Buster and Babs are from Florida.

In the Soufflé, Girl Hey where their house appears, alligators have invaded it due to the flood. Given that in terms of fauna Florida is mostly know for alligators, I could say that location of Buster and Babs home is that state, given that there have been many incidents of gators invading people's houses in Florida.

---