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The original Warner Bros.

Cartoon studio, as well as all of Warner Bros .' short subject production divisions, closed in 1969 due to the rising costs and declining returns of short subject production.

Outside animation companies were hired to produce new Looney Tunes-related animation for TV specials and commercials at irregular intervals.

In 1976, Warner Bros.

Cartoon alumnus Chuck Jones began producing a series of Looney Tunes specials at his Chuck Jones Productions animation studio, the first of which was Carnival of the Animals.

These specials, and a 1975 Looney Tunes retrospective feature film titled Bugs Bunny: Superstar, led Jones to produce The Bugs Bunny / Road Runner Movie for Warner Bros. in 1979.

This film blended classic Looney Tunes / Merrie Melodies shorts with newly produced wraparounds of Bugs Bunny introducing each cartoon.

Warner Bros. responded to the success of this film by reestablishing its own cartoon studio.