Warner’s handling of Cartoon Network and its animation legacy in recent months could diplomatically be described as “less than ideal,” with the closing of the iconic Cartoon Network Studios building last year, the cancellation of multiple series, and, most recently, the surprising Unfortunately, Cartoon Network’s website and its free streaming clips and episode archives are completely shut down. Now, there’s further uproar after several popular CN series disappeared from Max today… Warner Bros. has moved fans from watching those shows elsewhere to Max.
Today, some users are reporting that a number of important Cartoon Network shows – including Ben 10, steven universe, Regular performances2016 The Powerpuff Girls revival, The Amazing World of Gumball, we bare bearsand Chowder—It suddenly stopped airing on Max at the end of the month, with no prior announcement that it would be deleted.
Cartoon Network shows have been removed from Max today:
– Chowder
– Regular performances
– The Amazing World of Gumball
– We Bare Bears
—— Steven Universe pic.twitter.com/WUR63HtDgv— ToonHive (@ToonHive) October 1, 2024
Interestingly, at the same time as the sudden removal, the branding of Max’s “Kids and Family” section was also updated to replace the included images of Gumball and Steven Universe flanker Bugs Bunny with the Care Bears and Frankenstein respectively. Ryder Flintstone.
Ben 10 (2016) was also deleted.
Max specifically updated the art for the Children and Family Center, replacing Gumball and Steven with Care Bears and Fred Flintstone. (OMG, did they really do that?) pic.twitter.com/x5ZcHF3yWx
— CN News/Schedules (@CNschedules) October 1, 2024
While most of the removed shows will be available to stream elsewhere, the move seems awkward given Warner Bros. has made several recent decisions regarding its animated catalog and continues to try to streamline its finances. A few weeks ago, the studio announced plans to discontinue its classic anime-centric streaming platform Boomerang (the service had previously announced it would end yesterday, September 30, with subscribers and their libraries being handed over to Max). Not long after, it also controversially removed Cartoon Network’s dedicated website, which had previously hosted a slew of clips and free-to-stream episodes of its previous and current series, including the now-removed Max Several shows.
“Looking for episodes of your favorite Cartoon Network shows? See what’s available on Max (subscription required),” the updated Cartoon Network website previously read. “Sign up for Max, where you can also create child profiles with rating restrictions and extra privacy protection to keep it fun and kid-friendly!”
io9 has reached out to Max for comment and clarification on the deletions, and whether these were intentional updates to Max’s catalog or if, as has been the case recently over the garden wall This oversight will be corrected on Hulu. If we receive a response, we will update this article.
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