ComingSoon Senior Editor Brandon Schreur spoke to Eric Bauza about voicing Daffy Duck and Porky Pig within the new animated film The Day the Earth Blew Up: A Looney Tunes Film. Bauza mentioned engaged on the brand new, 2D-animated Looney Tunes film, his hopes for Coyote vs. Acme to turn out to be unshelved, and extra.
“Porky Pig and Daffy Duck enterprise to the massive display as unlikely heroes and Earth’s solely hope when their antics on the native bubble gum manufacturing facility uncover a secret alien thoughts management plot,” the synopsis for the movie reads. “Confronted with cosmic odds, the 2 are decided to save lots of their city (and the world!)… that’s in the event that they don’t drive one another completely looney within the course of.”
The Day the Earth Blew Up: A Looney Tunes Film releases in United States theaters on March 14, 2025, from Ketchup Leisure.
Brandon Schreur: I’m completely thrilled to be right here speaking some Looney Tunes. Eric, how are you doing?
Eric Bauza: [Daffy Duck voice] Eric, who’s he? I’m Daffy. Good to fulfill you.
[Porky Pig voice] D-d-d-don’t fiddle with the host. Hello, I’m Porky [laughs]
[Normal voice] Daffy, Porky, I can take over from right here. Hey, how’s it going, Brandon?
Daffy, Porky, it was good to fulfill you guys, too.
They’re again on the posters, there, now.
I find it irresistible. Earlier than I ask you something, I simply wished to say congratulations on the film. I watched it final evening, and I had a lot enjoyable. I beloved it. Congratulations, as a result of I assumed it turned out nice.
Thanks a lot for saying that. It’s a kind of issues the place, , similar to any manufacturing that anybody works on, you type of have your horse blinders on the entire time. You virtually neglect that persons are going to see this, finally. Once you hear form phrases like that, it actually means quite a bit, so thanks for saying that.
Undoubtedly. One factor that I actually beloved about this film was that it actually felt like traditional Looney Tunes. I’m of the millenial age who grew up watching Area Jam and Again in Motion continuous at my home. That’s the live-action hybrid type of factor, however this simply introduced me again to these early cartoons with the 2D animation, the traditional gags, and all of that. Clearly, this isn’t your first time voicing Daffy or Porky, however when this mission took place, did you end up going again to the unique Thirties and Forties cartoons and watching these to organize for this?
All the time. All the time all the time. That’s all the time the very first thing I’ll do. You don’t wish to reinvent the wheel, how about that? It’s what I really like about these characters. Anybody who has ever labored with the characters — for those who’re a voice-over artist, a musician, a director, a author, or a producer — the wheel stays the identical, however the street round it modifications. The place the wheel goes all the time modifications. However you’re all the time alongside for the journey with the identical characters. Each time, similar to you mentioned, I’ll go residence and watch the unique shorts so I can research what Mel Blanc was doing. If it’s working and it’s making you snigger, it’s as a result of I’m dialing in what I’d think about Mel would do. Or, at the very least, take these acquainted music notes and rearrange them in a brand new means. Right here’s a brand new tune you’ve by no means heard Mel Blanc sing, however these are the notes that he might hit. That’s how I put it.
That makes complete sense. One other factor I feel is so thrilling about this film is the theatrical launch part. In practically a century of Looney Tunes, there haven’t been that many films. There have been even fewer which have been in theaters. I do know all the things with Coyote vs. Acme, that every one occurred, however, basically, how thrilling is it for you that persons are going to have the ability to see this on the massive display?
I’m thrilled that folks have already been stepping into, getting the tickets, and giving it plenty of reward. Apart from your self, we’ve been getting so many nice evaluations. I simply hope it interprets to the studio desirous to make extra with these characters. And in addition extra in 2D. I really feel like it is a nice resurgence, and I hope it ignites an analogous renaissance of Looney Tunes that we skilled rising up within the ’80s and ’90s.
Certain. I’m all onboard with that, I used to be having the identical ideas whereas watching this; I hope it takes off. Clearly, on this film, you voice each Daffy and Porky. I’m interested by what the recording course of appears like in your finish when doing that. Once you’re within the sales space, do you trip the place they’re having a dialog with one another? Or do you do all Daffy’s traces after which return and do Porky’s?
Yeah, I really feel like [Porky Pig voice] once I’m t-t-t-talking to you, Brandon, we are able to d-d-d-do Porky. [Daffy Duck voice] Maintain on, he solely has a restricted period of time, Porky. Hello there, Daffy.
[Normal voice] For issues like this, it’s simple to trip in brief increments, however, in a session, and in a film, particularly, we’ve plenty of time with these characters. We don’t need to rush by like we do on a tv manufacturing. We’d take our time on this as a result of you’ve 90 minutes to discover their relationship or the place they even got here from. It makes the conditions and the stakes even greater. It’s that rather more vital as a result of, , or else why would we be watching it?
Completely. You talked about the place they got here from, and I wished to ask you about that, too. I beloved the opening montage with Farmer Jim. I assumed that was, like, emotional, and I used to be like, ‘Rattling, I’m getting choked up throughout a Looney Tunes film.’ Didn’t count on that. Is it extra of a problem to enter these emotional boots in comparison with simply being wacky and foolish?
Yeah, such as you mentioned, we’ve seen so many alternative pairings of the Looney Tunes. Wile E. Coyote and Highway Runner. Sylverster and Tweety. Even Bugs and Daffy. However they’re all the time attempting to get at one another. The pairing of Daffy and Porky, it’s all the time been slightly bit much less about them attempting to destroy one another and extra about them co-existing. How is Daffy going to destroy Porky’s life in the present day? On this, although, we actually do get to see how a lot Porky may be pushed. And he goes over the sting and actually doesn’t maintain again on Daffy.
No, undoubtedly, I do know what you’re speaking about, too, within the third act, there, once you see that relationship type of develop. I assumed that was all good.
Effectively, once more, that’s the place it comes round. Though, [director] Peter Browngardt all the time likes to quote Dumb and Dumber, the place they don’t essentially change that a lot within the film. Even on the finish of the film, they nonetheless do the dumbest issues. Particularly with these guys, you don’t actually wish to see them change all that a lot. You virtually wish to depart it open for one more story. You don’t wish to resolve something, let’s simply put it that means.
Completely. I assumed one other actually enjoyable addition to this film was Petuina Pig. She’s been in Looney Tunes lore for some time, however I’ve by no means actually seen her have such a outstanding function in a Looney Tunes story like this. I actually favored seeing how Porky interacts along with her and all the things. I assumed you guys had nice chemistry with the vocals and all the things, I used to be simply questioning what it was like working along with her and bringing these moments to life.
Effectively, in fact, that was the nice Candi Milo, who has been with Looney Tunes for just a few years, many, a few years. Additionally, she was on the unique Tiny Toon Adventures, she was Sweetie. You already know, for no matter motive, I feel Candi is simply one of many funniest individuals I’ve ever met. She understands easy methods to ship a joke, a written joke, and comedy. Throughout, she’s simply so proficient. And beneficiant. She’s such a beneficiant performer along with her expertise and her friendship. I’ve all the time, all the time been a giant admirer of her, and she or he’s been a giant inspiration to me. I’m simply glad that she was capable of be a part of us on this movie and type of present that animation isn’t all the time a boys’ membership.
Yeah. We’ve type of talked about hoping this results in extra Looney Tunes sooner or later. You additionally do extra voices than simply Daffy and Porky. I’m simply questioning, in case you have an opinion or for those who might have a say, if there have been to be extra Looney Tunes films, are there any characters you’d wish to see particularly set round? Or one other pairing like Daffy and Porky?
[Bugs Bunny voice] Effectively, doc, I’m glad you requested that query as a result of, I imply, what’s a rabbit received to do to get his personal film round right here?!
[Normal voice] Bugs Bunny can be probably the most very best follow-up, I feel, to this film. And, who is aware of, stranger issues have occurred, if this film does financially properly, it could take a sure different film off the shelf and put that in theaters. I imply, it’s already made. All they need to do is press play.
I’m hoping. I actually wish to see it, so I’m hoping.
I imply, I feel you and the remainder of the world, together with one man carrying a coyote costume outdoors of the studio who was protesting yesterday, which I assumed was humorous. The very best half is, I’m in New York, in order that couldn’t have been me. That’s my alibi. There’s footage of me strolling down forty fourth Avenue going to see a Broadway present, so, [Daffy Duck voice] sorry, Warner Bros., it was not me. Not responsible.
Due to Eric Bauza for discussing The Day the Earth Blew Up: A Looney Tunes Film.
