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CN News/Schedules @cnschedules.bsky.social · 1h

Adult Swim has hopped around various platforms over the years as regulations won't permit it to be on Cartoon Network. Before the Channel 4 deal it had been on CNX, Bravo (unrelated to Bravo in the US), FX, TCM 2, Fox, and truTV. All of these networks no longer exist.

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CN News/Schedules @cnschedules.bsky.social · 1h

It really has to be appreciated that there is a major studio right now funding original, auteur driven projects (Universal too), whether they be more expensive like Sinners or One Battle After Another or mid-range like Weapons. It's even better to see those films do well.

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CN News/Schedules @cnschedules.bsky.social · 1h

I think WB Pictures is the one division that's actually improved under Discovery. WarnerMedia let Christopher Nolan walk away to Universal and made Space Jam 2. Sin.
The Final Destination film that did so well in theaters this year was planned to be an HBO Max exclusive under WM.

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CN News/Schedules @cnschedules.bsky.social · 1h

De Luca and Abdy are also in charge of the creative side of Turner Classic Movies following the 2023 layoffs that almost ruined the network before the company walked back some of the most severe cuts. Them staying around ensures some stability there.

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CN News/Schedules @cnschedules.bsky.social · 1h

As Zaslav notes in his letter to employees in the Deadline article, Warner Bros. Pictures will "re-introduce" animated films into its slate starting with The Cat in the Hat next year. Hope things go well there... WB Pictures Animation's non-LEGO work hasn't been too great.

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CN News/Schedules @cnschedules.bsky.social · 1h

Before that streak, De Luca and Abdy were reportedly on shakier grounds. Bloomberg reported that Zaslav was itching to replace the two following expensive flops like Mickey 17, Alto Knights, and Joker Folie à Deux, though Deadline notes above that they did not believe that news.

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CN News/Schedules @cnschedules.bsky.social · 1h

This follows an incredibly successful 6 or so months for Warner Bros., with 7 consecutive titles debuting with $40m+ in the box office. One Battle After Another, which sadly broke that streak, still has broken past $100m and is expected to be an awards show frontrunner.

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CN News/Schedules @cnschedules.bsky.social · 1h

The heads of Warner Bros. Pictures, Michael De Luca and Pam Abdy, have re-upped their contracts to stay as heads of the film studio.
deadline.com/2025/10/warn...

Warner Bros Motion Pictures Chairs Michael De Luca & Pamela Abdy Re-Up Contracts; WBD CEO David Zaslav Celebrates

Warner Bros Motion Picture chairs Michael De Luca and Pamela Abdy have re-upped their deals with the film studio.

deadline.com

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CN News/Schedules @cnschedules.bsky.social · 1d

Adult Swim shows will be leaving the Channel 4 app in the UK in just over a week. The few AS shows that air on E4 and E4 Extra will also stop airing after Thursday and Sunday, respectively.

It's very likely that the AS library will join HBO Max when it launches in early 2026.

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CN News/Schedules @cnschedules.bsky.social · 3d

RIP Kimberly Hébert Gregory, who played Craig's mom, Nicole Williams, on Craig of the Creek and Dr. Belinda Brown on HBO's Vice Principals. She was 52.

Graphic from Cartoon Network's Instagram saying Rest In Peace Kimberly Hébert Gregory, showing both her in real life and her character in Craig of the Creek

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CN News/Schedules @cnschedules.bsky.social · 4d

The 8 episodes per season thing also seems to be something that Zach and Michael want, iirc they think that's the perfect amount of episodes for each season for the amount of work put into each ep

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CN News/Schedules @cnschedules.bsky.social · 4d

Judging by the early two season renewal I think they want it on a consistent yearly release schedule now like Rick and Morty.

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CN News/Schedules @cnschedules.bsky.social · 4d

There's also the issue of balancing 7 cartoons on a block that typically only has room for 4. American Dad coming back made that count 8. Fox has alleviated some of that by cutting episode orders down from 20-22 a season to 13-15, but clearly to Fox something still had to give.

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CN News/Schedules @cnschedules.bsky.social · 4d

It also comes as Fox has been starting to focus more on productions made and owned entirely by themselves, like Krapopolis and Grimsburg, though Universal Basic Guys, Bob's Burgers, and Great North all use Fox's Bento Box animation studio for production.

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CN News/Schedules @cnschedules.bsky.social · 4d

15 animated series have premiered Fox since Bob's Burgers' premiere, including ADHD series and Son of Zorn. Of all of those, only The Great North made it past 3 seasons, though Krapopolis, on its third season right now, has been renewed up through season 5.

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CN News/Schedules @cnschedules.bsky.social · 4d

Fox has officially confirmed that The Great North has been cancelled after 5 seasons.

The main characters from The Great North

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CN News/Schedules @cnschedules.bsky.social · 4d

"ZAM is lean, independent, and obsessed with craft. We have a knack for producing animation that recaptures the magic of years past. ZAM can work in any medium - and currently produces 100% of the specialty animation on Adult Swim’s "Smiling Friends"."

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CN News/Schedules @cnschedules.bsky.social · 4d

"ZAM has one clear mission: to fix that. In an industry overrun with waste, bloat & derivative work, we strive to bring back what matters – bold, high-quality animation made by people who actually understand the process."

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CN News/Schedules @cnschedules.bsky.social · 4d

ZAM's About page: "It’s not just nostalgia… Animation really was better back in the day. It wouldn’t cost a dime more to make today’s cartoons feel less stiff and sterile – but current animation productions are so decentralized and bureaucratized that, creatively, they lack vision."

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CN News/Schedules @cnschedules.bsky.social · 4d

The studio's website shows some of the work they've done already, including Smiling Friends, bumpers for Adult Swim, music videos, and more.

zamstudios.net

ZAM Studios

zamstudios.net

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CN News/Schedules @cnschedules.bsky.social · 4d

Zach Hadel, Michael Cusack, and Smiling Friends producer/director Aron Fromm have launched Zam Studios, a new animation studio based in LA focusing on animation, VFX, production, and post-production of all types.

deadline.com/2025/10/smil...

Image of the ZAM Studios website, featuring a pixel art animation and references to Smiling Friends.

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CN News/Schedules @cnschedules.bsky.social · 6d

Apple's definitely revitalized the Peanuts IP with all those new series and specials and stuff like that, certainly the flagship IP of its kids programming. The 2010s only had the Blue Sky film, that 2011 WildBrain special, and the 2016 series no one remembers.

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CN News/Schedules @cnschedules.bsky.social · 6d

While the big three Peanuts holiday specials no longer air on free-to-air television, Apple will have them available to stream for free on these dates:
Great Pumpkin: 10/18 and 10/19
Thanksgiving: 11/15 and 11/16
Christmas: 12/13 and 12/14

variety.com/2025/tv/news...

‘Peanuts’ to Stay on Apple TV+ Until 2030 Under New Deal Extension

The "Peanuts" gang is staying put at Apple TV+, with the streamer inking a five-year deal extension to keep it on the service until 2030.

variety.com

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CN News/Schedules @cnschedules.bsky.social · 6d

Apple will also continue to be the exclusive TV home for almost all of the classic 60s-10s Peanuts specials. Warner Bros. Home Entertainment continues to have home video rights to the specials and is releasing a big box set of 40 specials this Tuesday.

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CN News/Schedules @cnschedules.bsky.social · 6d

Today in unrelated news: Apple TV+ will remain the home for Peanuts through 2030, as Apple has renewed their partnership with WildBrain, Peanuts Worldwide, and Lee Mendelson Film Productions.

More specials will be made and the production on a new feature film continues.

Image from one of the newer Apple TV+ Peanuts specials. Charlie Brown is being lifted up and cheered on by everyone.

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