If you were a fan of Cartoon Network at some point in your life, the past few years have been rough. Between its parent company Warner Bros. Discovery merging with Paramount Skydance to many of its shows being pulled from HBO Max, it feels like the channel is on life support.
Is Cartoon Network in danger of being shut down or is it going through some growing pains as the way we watch TV continues to evolve?
How Did Cartoon Network Get Here?
Launched in 1992 as a cable TV network, Cartoon Network challenged what animated kids cartoons could be. Iconic series like Adventure Time, Samurai Jack, Dexter’s Laboratory, Teen Titans, or Steven Universe had mature themes that appealed to older audiences. It also became a popular hub for English-dubbed anime including Dragon Ball, Naruto and The Big O, as well as anime-inspired works like Code Lyoko. In 2001, the network debuted its Adult Swim programming block where adult animation (Bob’s Burgers, Rick and Morty, Common Side Effects) aired during the late nights.
But not even its reputation could shield Cartoon Network what was to come. Over the last decade, traditional cable television lost a massive chunk of its audience to streaming. Between 2014 and 2024, advertising revenue for Cartoon Network and Adult Swim dropped from $668.3 million down to $133.7 million, roughly 80%.
To cope with those losses, previous parent company Warner Bros. Discovery hit the brakes on major investments. In 2022, Cartoon Network Studios was merged into Warner Bros. Animation. By 2023, its historic Burbank studio building is empty. In August 2024, CartoonNetwork.com was shut down and began redirecting visitors to HBO Max. Ironically, dozens of shows were removed from HBO Max as part of a cost-cutting pivot away from kid-focused content. These were just some of the decisions that made fans worry about the network’s future.
Paramount Takes the Reins
In October 2026, Paramount Skydance completed its massive takeover of Warner Bros. Discovery. Suddenly, Cartoon Network found itself under the same corporate umbrella as its long-time rival, Nickelodeon.
Naturally, this combination sparked rumors. Would Paramount merge Cartoon Network with Nickelodeon? Or maybe keep Adult Swim and get rid of the beloved kids’ network once and for all?
So far, all signs point to no. Executive leadership confirmed plans to keep legacy cable networks in the portfolio, specifically naming Cartoon Network and Adult Swim as assets they intend to retain. Cartoon Network will probably operate with a lower budget and lower priority compared to flagship brands.
What Is the Future of Cartoon Network?
Cartoon Network is still on air, but it’s not the channel fans remember. There’s nowhere near as many brand-new original shows airing, or a real variety in programming. Marathons playing reruns of select shows like Looney Tunes, Teen Titans Go! or Regular Show make up Cartoon Network’s schedule nowadays. Its broadcast hours are now from 6am to 5pm so that Adult Swim can start earlier. Since most of Cartoon Network’s library is available to watch online, viewership for linear TV shifted to older audiences interested in more adult content.
Instead of being solely reliant on cable, the brand is spreading its content across multiple platforms to stay afloat. The shows that were pulled from HBO Max can be viewed on other streaming platforms like Netflix or Apple TV. Over 100 of Cartoon Network’s classic shows can be streamed for free on Tubi.
Cartoon Network President Michael Ouweleen stated that moving forward the focus is on direct sequels and revivals made alongside original creators, such as Regular Show: The Lost Tapes. The Adventure Time spin-off Adventure Time: Side Quests debuted on Disney+ and Hulu in June 2026. A sequel series for Steven Universe called Lars of the Stars is in active development for Amazon Prime Video.
Cartoon Network also has plans to celebrate its 35th anniversary year with an upcoming five-part docuseries honoring its history. Meanwhile, Adult Swim is also working on a special episode of Robot Chicken celebrating its own history for 2027.
Cartoon Network isn’t dead, but it isn’t the animation giant it was in the late 1990s or 2010s either. It’s entering this new chapter as a brand focused on legacy properties while its new parent company figures out how to pay off over $80 billion in debt.
But for now, Cartoon Network is still on your TV screen for the foreseeable future. Just don’t expect the massive wave of original shows that we used to get in the past.
