Animaniacs Season 2 Release Date, Cast, And More

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Last year, the "Animaniacs" came back to life on Hulu after being away for over 20 years. The Warner brothers Yakko and Wakko and their sister Dot were still zany to the max, and soon they'll be back for more animated antics with a second season. If you're wondering when the Animaniacs will return for their second season, we've got the release date and everything else you need to know about the second season of the animated series below.

The first season of the "Animaniacs" revival debuted on November 20 last year with 13 episodes comprised of 42 different short animated segments. However, the second season will arrive a little earlier this fall with a release date set for November 5, 2021. The show's revival is available exclusively on Hulu in the United States.

The original "Animaniacs" is an animated series executive produced by Steven Spielberg and created by Tom Ruegger. Airing from 1993 through 1998, the series followed three siblings, Yakko, Wakko, and Dot, depicted as non-descript animated animals of an unknown kind. Referred to as the Warner brothers and the Warner sister, they embarked on a series of zany adventures in animated shorts that typically involved them annoying the bejeezus out of anyone they came in contact with.

Featuring a satirical and slapstick comedy style, "Animaniacs" frequently lampooned pop culture and had a tone similar to that of the classic "Looney Tunes," complete with plenty of musical interludes. The original series also featured an ensemble of supporting characters such as Pinky and The Brain, Slappy Squirrel, The Goodfeathers, Rita and Runt, Mindy and Buttons, and Minerva Mink starring in their own series of recurring animated shorts.

The new "Animaniacs" is pretty much the exact same thing, except it's not in the hands of Tom Ruegger. Though all three of the Animaniacs are back, Pinky and The Brain are the only other characters from the original series to return with their own animated shorts in-between segments featuring the title characters. However, there is a new animated short segment in the first season of the revival called "Starbox and Cindy," and it follows a minuscule alien invader named Starbox who attempts to escape the grasp of a little girl named Cindy so he can send the signal for an invasion of Earth.

You can get a taste of the kind of humor "Animaniacs" brings to the table in the revival's opening scene above.

Here's the official synopsis for the revival of "Animaniacs," though there isn't a synopsis specific to the upcoming second season:

They're back! The Warner brothers, Yakko and Wakko, and the Warner sister Dot, have a great time wreaking havoc and mayhem in the lives of everyone they meet. After returning to their beloved home, the Warner Bros. water tower, the siblings waste no time in causing chaos and comic confusion as they run loose through the studio, turning the world into their personal playground. Joining Yakko, Wakko and Dot, fan-favorite characters Pinky and the Brain also return to continue their quest for world domination.

Though Tom Ruegger was the creator of the original "Animaniacs," he did not return to be part of the revival. Ruegger was not asked to executive produce or have a significant role in overseeing the development of the show's return. However, he was asked to submit a script for the revived series, but he turned it down, saying, "Basically it would be like an audition, and I just didn't feel comfortable auditioning for a show that I created."

Instead, "Family Guy" writer Wellesley Wild was brought in to act as showrunner with Gabe Swarr ("Kung Fu Panda: Legends of Awesomeness"). Even though Ruegger wasn't around, Wild wanted to be as respectful of the original series as possible. The showrunner told The New York Times, "There's lightning in a bottle here and the first thing I'm going to do is keep that lightning in the bottle, vigilantly."

Also helping in that capacity was the return of Steven Spielberg as an executive producer of the series revival, along with Sam Register, president of Warner Bros. Animation and Warner Digital Series, and Amblin Television co-presidents Justin Falvey and Darryl Frank. In fact, Wild said Spielberg was involved with every pitch meeting and wanted to ensure that most of the elements of the original show remained intact. This included the decision to give the series a full writers room as if it were an adult animated show instead of a series created just for kids.

The "Animaniacs" revival brings back the voice cast from the original series, including Rob Paulsen (as Yakko, Pinky and Dr. Scratchansniff), Jess Harnell (as Wakko), Tress MacNeille (as Dot), and Maurice LaMarche as The Brain.

Along with the primary voice cast, the series also features longtime voice actors such as Eric Bauza, Fred Tatasciore, Dee Bradley Baker, Phil LaMarr, Jeff Bergman, Bob Bergen, John DiMaggio, Frank Welker, Rachael McFarlane, Stephanie Escajeda, and many more.