TCM Becomes New Home of Classic Looney Tunes Cartoons

Turner Classic Movies has always been my favorite channel. I grew up on old movies, and TCM remains the place where classic cinema is treated with care, context, and genuine love. Now the network is expanding that legacy in a big way. TCM has officially become the ongoing television home of the classic Warner Bros. Looney Tunes cartoons, bringing Bugs Bunny and friends into the fold.

Through a new six-year licensing deal with Warner Bros., Turner Classic Movies will begin airing the iconic Looney Tunes library starting in February. The launch kicks off with 45 classic animated shorts featuring Bugs Bunny, TCM’s Star of the Month. These cartoons will not simply air on their own. They will be thoughtfully paired with classic feature films, continuing TCM’s tradition of smart, historically grounded programming.

Featuring beloved characters like Bugs Bunny, Daffy Duck, Elmer Fudd, Yosemite Sam, and Wile E. Coyote, the Looney Tunes library stands as one of the most influential bodies of work in animation history. Through this ongoing presentation, Turner Classic Movies ensures these cartoons are celebrated, contextualized, and accessible to audiences of all ages.

“TCM is excited to become the ongoing television home of the Looney Tunes library,” said Charlie Tabesh, Senior Vice President of Programming and Content Strategy at Turner Classic Movies. “By making TCM an ongoing home for this iconic library, we’re able to present these cartoons with the care they deserve, alongside the classic films they helped influence.”

February’s lineup includes timeless shorts such as Rabbit of Seville (1950) and What’s Opera, Doc? (1957), which will lead into A Night at the Opera (1935). Tortoise Beats Hare (1941), Tortoise Wins by a Hare (1943), and Rabbit Transit (1947) will precede Walk, Don’t Run (1966). Apes of Wrath (1959) sets up King Kong (1933), while Buccaneer Bunny (1948) leads into Mutiny on the Bounty (1950). Other pairings include Captain Hareblower (1954) before Captain Horatio Hornblower (1951), Bugsy and Mugsy (1957), and The Unmentionables (1963) ahead of The Roaring Twenties (1939), and A Witch’s Tangled Hare (1959), setting the stage for Hamlet (1948).

All 45 Bugs Bunny shorts will screen through February 7, followed by a curated selection of related full-length films. It is another example of the thoughtful programming that has long defined Turner Classic Movies.

The news arrives at a moment when fans are paying close attention to TCM’s future, especially given that the channel remains part of the broader Warner Bros. Discovery and Netflix discussions. While the long-term outcome is still unclear, this move reinforces TCM’s commitment to preserving and presenting classic entertainment with respect.

TCM’s February programming also includes a carefully curated lineup of feature films that complement the animated shorts, reinforcing the network’s long-standing reputation for meaningful, historically informed film presentation.

Beyond February, Looney Tunes shorts will continue to air regularly across TCM’s schedule, establishing the network as a consistent destination for classic animation. Select titles will debut as TCM Premieres, further highlighting the importance of the collection.