Warner Bros. Discovery today announced its first ever localized Tom and Jerry series, featuring the famous cat and mouse duo as they take their rivalry through Singapore. A quick teaser offers a first glimpse of the slapstick icons’ latest animated look.
Produced locally in Asia, and in association with Warner Bros. Animation, the new series comprises 7 x 3-minute shorts and will premiere on Cartoon Network in Asia Pacific and HBO GO in Southeast Asia, Taiwan and Hong Kong later this year, before being rolled out internationally. A pilot episode will launch in August — further details will be announced soon.
“This series brings back the iconic music and classic animation style from the Hanna-Barbera 1950s era — but with a modern Singaporean twist,” says Christopher Ho, Head of Kids – Southeast Asia at Warner Bros. Discovery. “With distinctive landmarks, backdrops and atmosphere, the Asian city-state is the ideal location to create a humorous addition to the Tom and Jerry canon. Working with homegrown creative talent in Singapore and across Asia, this project grows the much-loved franchise in the region and beyond.”
Vishnu Athreya, Senior Vice President of Series, Warner Bros. Animation and Cartoon Network Studios, adds, “Tom and Jerry are two of our most universally loved characters, proving that laughs can translate to any audience. The fans in Asia have long embraced these characters and it’s great to finally give them a version to call their own.”
The project is produced by Warner Bros. Discovery’s Carlene Tan. Vivek Bolar (Andy Pirki) serves as lead director. The project is animated by Aum Animation Studios India, with stories and designs from Singapore-based Robot Playground Media and Chips and Toon Studios.
Warner Bros. Discovery also plans to launch new Tom and Jerry-branded consumer products to complement the series launch later this year.
Tom and Jerry is one of the leading franchises in the Warner Bros. Discovery portfolio, with a global social reach of 50 million and almost 30 billion minutes watched on the Warner Bros. Kids YouTube channel. There have been more than 500 episodes and 15 movies made (so far) in its 83-year history, securing seven Academy Awards along the way.
