Tom and Jerry are getting a surprising new look. The famous cat and mouse duo will star in a romantic comedy film inspired by the Oscar-winning movie La La Land. Screenwriters Rashida Jones and Will McCormack shared these first plot details in a recent interview with Variety.
Warner Bros. Animation announced the new Tom and Jerry movie project in 2024. Jones, McCormack, and Michael Govier were brought on to write the script. The film will take the classic rivalry in a completely new direction.
The New Tom and Jerry Movie Has a Romantic Plot
The story follows Tom and Jerry after they are rescued by two human characters. These humans eventually fall in love with each other. The cat and mouse then begin a campaign to destroy their owners’ relationship.
But the sabotage has a deeper meaning. McCormack explained that Tom and Jerry are not just causing trouble. Their actions come from a desire to be seen and loved themselves.
“Tom and Jerry do whatever they can to kill the other or to break up [their owners]. It’s a rom-com in the style of La La Land. Why are these characters fighting so much? Because they want to be seen, and they want to be loved. The logline of our film is literally ‘Love is worth fighting for.’”
This approach is very different from the cartoon’s usual slapstick humor. The film will explore why these two characters fight so much after nearly 86 years of chasing each other.
Writers Draw Inspiration from La La Land
Comparing a Tom and Jerry movie to La La Land might sound strange. But the connection makes sense when you think about it. La La Land, starring Ryan Gosling and Emma Stone, is about two people who deeply want to be understood. That idea fits perfectly with McCormack’s take on the characters.
The 2016 musical was a major success. It earned over $447 million at the box office on a $30 million budget. The film also won six Academy Awards. These numbers show that audiences connect with romantic stories that have real emotion.
The creative team also knows this genre well. Jones and McCormack previously wrote the romantic comedy-drama Celeste and Jesse Forever. They also worked together on Toy Story 4 and the upcoming relationship comedy The Invite for A24. Their experience makes them a good fit for this new direction.
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What This Means for the Classic Franchise
Tom and Jerry began as animated shorts in 1940. The characters were created by William Hanna and Joseph Barbera. They have starred in many movies and TV shows over the years.
The most recent film was the 2021 live-action hybrid movie. It featured human actors like Chloë Grace Moretz and Michael Peña. Another animated film, Tom and Jerry: Forbidden Compass, debuted at the 2025 Shanghai Film Festival.
The new romantic comedy will be different from all these versions. It will focus on the emotional reasons for Tom and Jerry’s endless conflict. The goal is to go deeper into their relationship while keeping their classic rivalry.
Release Date and Production Status
The new Tom and Jerry movie does not have a release date yet. A director has also not been announced. But the writing team has confirmed the project is still moving forward. This update shows that Warner Bros. Animation is committed to this fresh take on its classic characters.
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