2022 will mark the 80th anniversary of Warner Brother’s iconic character, Tweety. This year’s SXSW Festival gave fans a first look at celebrations set to continue through the year. Austin artist Kate Dehler unveiled the first of what will be 80 murals around the world celebrating Tweety. Three additional murals were also unveiled in Austin.
WarnerMedia Global Brands and Experiences (WMGBE) has commissioned 80 diverse artists globally to create original murals shining a spotlight the character who has inspired generations. Murals will be unveiled in cities around the world.
Said Pam Lifford, President, WarnerMedia Global Brands and Experiences, “For eighty years, Tweety has marched to the beat of his own drum, inherently representing what it means to be unapologetically yourself. His endearing personality has made him a pop culture favorite and he’s known for making appearances in the most unexpected ways”.
As part of Tweety’s 80th anniversary celebrations, Tweety will appear alongside fellow Looney Tunes characters in Bugs Bunny Builders, a new preschool animated series coming to Cartoonito on HBO Max and Cartoon Network Warner Bros. The series is confirmed to be premiering in 2022, with no release date available at this time.
Fans can also grab Tweety merchandise, as Ugly Dukling has released Tweety-style magnetic eyelashes. Loungefly has Tweety accessories available including an exclusive Tweety plush backpack and a wallet. T-shirts featuring original Tweety mural art will soon be available from the Looney Tunes Shop.
All celebrations of Tweety’s 80th anniversary will culminate on the character’s actual birthday, November 21, 2022. Director Bob Clampett’s wartime spot-gag cartoon Wacky Blackout (1942) featured a bit with a mother bird teaching her seemingly dazed and confused chick to fly. The big-headed, sleepy-eyed bird returned in the Oscar-winning 1942 short film, A Tale of Two Kitties, and again proved to be far braver and intelligent than what initially met the eye. Tweety was officially named in the character’s second major role in The Birdy and the Beast (1944).
Tweety has gone on to star and appear in numerous roles, most recently 2021’s Space Jam: A New Legacy. Whether he’s alone or alongside the rest of the Loony Tunes family, Tweety continues to be an endearing character fans of all ages can root for.
Check out the photos below for a look at the SXSW event that took place March 11, 2022! More information about the events, merchandise, and art associated with Tweety’s 80th anniversary can be found at the official website HERE.
What are your favorite memories of Tweety leading up to the character’s 80th anniversary? Be sure to use #Tweety80 on social media, and leave a comment below!