Cartoon Network Celebrates 35 Years with Documentary Series and Robot Chicken Specials

Cartoon Network and Adult Swim announced a five-part documentary series to mark Cartoon Network’s 35th anniversary, slated for release in 2027. The series will combine archival footage with new interviews. In parallel, a stop-motion Robot Chicken special produced by Stoopid Buddy Stoodios and featuring Cartoon Network characters is planned for 2027, and a second Robot Chicken special celebrating Adult Swim’s 25th anniversary will premiere on Adult Swim on Aug. 30, 2026, with streaming on HBO Max on Aug. 31. The Adult Swim special depicts a cruise ship filled with Adult Swim characters that devolves into a disaster.

Variety Magazine

Cartoon Network, founded 35 years ago, grew from a classic cartoon library into a hub for original animation that has shaped multiple generations. Adult Swim, now 25 years old, is known for edgy adult-oriented programming, including the long-running stop-motion series Robot Chicken, created by Seth Green and Matthew Senreich.

Variety Magazine

2026: Variety reports the documentary and Robot Chicken specials.

Variety Magazine

Aug 30, 2026: Robot Chicken Adult Swim special airs on Adult Swim.

Variety Magazine

Aug 31, 2026: Same episode streams on HBO Max.

Variety Magazine

2027: Five-part documentary series launches.

Variety Magazine

2027 (unspecified): Robot Chicken special featuring Cartoon Network characters scheduled.

Variety Magazine

The documentary will chronicle Cartoon Network’s evolution from a classic cartoon library to a cultural force that has shaped animation. The Robot Chicken specials will bring together characters from both Cartoon Network and Adult Swim in a stop-motion parody format, illustrating the networks’ shared legacy and their influence on pop-culture humor.

Variety Magazine

President Michael Ouweleen said the network has moved beyond a simple cartoon library to become a cultural force, describing the documentary as an effort to capture the network’s ethos and to illustrate how courage and originality have defined its evolution. He added that Cartoon Network’s distinctive programming and on-air voice have shaped audiences and continue to inspire creators.

Variety Magazine

• “Most sane people don’t write a memoir at 35 years old, but Cartoon Network has never been sane,” — Michael Ouweleen, President, Cartoon Network and Adult Swim

Variety Magazine

• “Three decades of audiences have had their childhoods shaped by the iconoclastic series and on-air voice of Cartoon Network, and now creators across every medium are drawing from that influence.” — Michael Ouweleen

Variety Magazine

• “When incredibly talented Cartoon Network alumni pitched the idea of capturing the spirit behind the network — from Atlanta to Burbank, across the decades — there was never any question. Cartoon Network started with a library of cartoons but quickly became something much bigger: a cultural force and an object lesson in what courage and originality can mean. The only question that this documentary doesn’t answer is the most essential one the tagline that helped define the brand from the beginning: You with us?” — Michael Ouweleen

Variety Magazine

• “When incredibly talented Cartoon Network alumni pitched the idea of capturing the spirit behind the network — from Atlanta to Burbank, across the decades — there was never any question. Cartoon Network started with a library of cartoons but quickly became something much bigger: a cultural force and an object lesson in what courage and originality can mean. The only question that this documentary doesn’t answer is the most essential one the tagline that helped define the brand from the beginning: You with us?” — Cartoon Network tagline

Variety Magazine

The documentary series will debut in 2027. The Robot Chicken Adult Swim special airs Aug. 30, 2026, with HBO Max streaming on Aug. 31. Production continues on a second Robot Chicken special for Adult Swim’s 25th anniversary; its release date remains unannounced.

Variety Magazine