Editing Bugs Bunny (section)

===Later years===
Bugs did not appear in any of the post-1964 ''Looney Tunes'' and ''Merrie Melodies'' films produced by [[DePatie-Freleng Enterprises]] or [[Seven Arts Productions]], nor did he appear in [[Filmation]]'s ''[[Daffy Duck and Porky Pig Meet the Groovie Goolies]]''. He did, however, have two cameo appearances in the 1974 [[Joe Adamson]] short ''[[A Political Cartoon]]''; one at the beginning of the short where he campaigns on behalf of equal rights for cartoon characters everywhere, and another in which he is interviewed at a pet store, where he is on sale as an "[[Easter Rabbit]]". Bugs was animated in this short by Mark Kausler.<ref>{{cite web|title="A Political Cartoon": Looking back at the 1974 short film featuring Bugs Bunny|url=http://nightflight.com/a-political-cartoon-looking-back-the-1974-short-film-that-featured-bugs-bunny/|publisher=Night Flight Plus|access-date=April 2, 2024|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171002050234/http://nightflight.com/a-political-cartoon-looking-back-the-1974-short-film-that-featured-bugs-bunny/|archive-date=October 2, 2017|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=Animation Anecdotes #258|url=http://cartoonresearch.com/index.php/animation-anecdotes-258/|publisher=Cartoon Research|access-date=May 6, 2019|archive-date=September 28, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200928020347/https://cartoonresearch.com/index.php/animation-anecdotes-258/|url-status=live}}</ref> He did not appear in new material on-screen again until ''[[Bugs and Daffy's Carnival of the Animals]]'' aired in 1976.

From the late 1970s through the early 1990s, Bugs was featured in various animated specials for network television, such as ''[[Bugs Bunny's Thanksgiving Diet]]'', ''[[Bugs Bunny's Easter Special]]'', ''[[Bugs Bunny's Looney Christmas Tales]]'', and ''[[Bugs Bunny's Bustin' Out All Over]]''. Bugs also starred in several theatrical compilation features during this time, including the [[United Artists]] distributed documentary ''[[Bugs Bunny: Superstar]]'' (1975)<ref>''You Must Remember This: The Warner Bros. Story'' (2008), p. 255.</ref><ref>WB retained a pair of features from 1949 that they merely distributed, and all short subjects released on or after September 1, 1948; in addition to all cartoons released in August 1948.</ref> and Warner Bros.' own releases: ''[[The Bugs Bunny/Road Runner Movie]]'' (1979), ''[[The Looney Looney Looney Bugs Bunny Movie]]'' (1981), ''[[Bugs Bunny's 3rd Movie: 1001 Rabbit Tales]]'' (1982), and ''[[Daffy Duck's Quackbusters]]'' (1988).

In the 1988 [[live-action animated film|live-action/animated]] comedy ''[[Who Framed Roger Rabbit]]'', Bugs appeared as one of the inhabitants of Toontown. However, since the film was being produced by [[Walt Disney Pictures|Disney]], Warner Bros. would only allow the use of their biggest star if he got an equal amount of screen time as Disney's biggest star, [[Mickey Mouse]]. Because of this, both characters are always together in frame when onscreen. ''Roger Rabbit'' was also one of the final productions in which Mel Blanc voiced Bugs (as well as the other ''Looney Tunes'' characters) before his death in 1989.<ref>{{cite web|last1=Seibold|first1=Witney|title=Warner Bros. Had One Rule For Its Biggest Characters In Who Framed Roger Rabbit|url=https://www.msn.com/en-us/entertainment/movies/warner-bros-had-one-rule-for-its-biggest-characters-in-who-framed-roger-rabbit/ar-AA1A3qrF|date=March 1, 2025|publisher=MSN|access-date=March 12, 2025}}</ref>

Bugs later appeared in another animated production featuring numerous characters from rival studios: the 1990 drug prevention TV special ''[[Cartoon All-Stars to the Rescue]]''.<ref>{{cite news|title= Cartoon special: Congressmen treated to preview of program to air on network, independent and cable outlets.|newspaper= The Los Angeles Times|date= April 19, 1990|url= https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1990-04-19-ca-2260-story.html|access-date= August 24, 2010|archive-date= October 26, 2012|archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20121026100825/http://articles.latimes.com/1990-04-19/entertainment/ca-2260_1_bugs-bunny|url-status= live}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|title= Children's TV: On Saturday, networks will simulcast 'Cartoon All-Stars to the Rescue,' an animated feature on drug abuse.|newspaper= The Los Angeles Times|date= April 20, 1990|url= https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1990-04-20-ca-1433-story.html|access-date= August 24, 2010|first= Sharon|last= Bernstein|archive-date= October 26, 2012|archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20121026100838/http://articles.latimes.com/1990-04-20/entertainment/ca-1433_1_drug-abuse|url-status= live}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|title=Hollywood and Networks Fight Drugs With Cartoon|newspaper=New York Times|date=April 21, 1990|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1990/04/21/movies/hollywood-and-networks-fight-drugs-with-cartoon.html|access-date=August 29, 2010|archive-date=October 1, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171001032243/https://www.nytimes.com/1990/04/21/movies/hollywood-and-networks-fight-drugs-with-cartoon.html|url-status=live}}</ref> This special is notable for being the first time that someone other than Blanc voiced Bugs and Daffy (both characters were voiced by [[Jeff Bergman]] for this). Bugs also made guest appearances in the early 1990s television series ''[[Tiny Toon Adventures]]'', as the principal of Acme Looniversity and the mentor of [[Babs and Buster Bunny]]. He made further cameos in Warner Bros.' subsequent animated TV shows ''[[Taz-Mania]]'', ''[[Animaniacs]]'', and ''[[Histeria!]]''

Bugs returned to the silver screen in ''[[Box-Office Bunny]]'' (1991). This was the first Bugs Bunny cartoon since 1964 to be released in theaters and it was created for Bugs' 50th anniversary celebration. It was followed by ''[[(Blooper) Bunny]]'', a cartoon that was shelved from theaters,<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.karmatoons.com/what.htm|title=Karmatoons - What I have Done|access-date=January 25, 2019|archive-date=January 16, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190116134533/http://www.karmatoons.com/what.htm|url-status=live}}</ref> but later premiered on [[Cartoon Network]] in 1997 and has since gained a cult following among animation fans for its edgy humor.<ref>{{cite web |last=Knight |first=Richard |url=http://www.chicagoreader.com/movies/archives/2001/0101/010126.html |title=Consider the Source |publisher=Chicagoreader.com |access-date=September 20, 2009 |archive-date=December 16, 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081216140031/http://www.chicagoreader.com/movies/archives/2001/0101/010126.html |url-status=dead }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0101484/|title=(Blooper) Bunny!|date=August 2, 1991|via=IMDb|access-date=July 21, 2018|archive-date=June 12, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190612063248/https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0101484/|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>[[Greg Ford|Ford, Greg]]. [[Audio commentary]] for ''(Blooper) Bunny'' on Disc One of the ''[[Looney Tunes Golden Collection: Volume 1]]''.</ref> Later that year, Bugs appeared in ''[[Yakety Yak, Take it Back]]'', a live-action/animated all-star public service music video produced by [[Warner Bros. Animation]] for the Take it Back Foundation. This music video features various celebrities, including [[Pat Benatar]], [[Natalie Cole]], [[Charlie Daniels]], [[Lita Ford]], [[Quincy Jones]], [[B. B. King]], [[Queen Latifah]], [[Kenny Loggins]], [[Jerry Leiber and Mike Stoller]], [[Bette Midler]], [[Randy Newman]], [[Tone Lōc]], [[Ozzy Osbourne]], [[Brenda Russell]], [[Al B. Sure!]], [[Ricky Van Shelton]], [[Barry White]], and [[Stevie Wonder]], along with [[Melba Moore]] as herself and the voice of Tibi the Take it Back Butterfly, [[Dr. John]] as himself and the voice of Yakety Yak, Derrick Stevens as the voice of [[MC Skat Kat]], and [[College Boyz|Squeak]] as the voice of Fatz.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mcOrTY-4nWs | title=Yakety Yak - Take It Back (1991) | website=[[YouTube]] | access-date=October 2, 2023 | archive-date=October 6, 2023 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231006080743/https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mcOrTY-4nWs | url-status=live }}</ref>

In 1996, Bugs and the other ''Looney Tunes'' characters appeared in the live-action/animated film, ''[[Space Jam]]'', directed by [[Joe Pytka]] and starring [[National Basketball Association|NBA]] superstar [[Michael Jordan]]. The film also introduced the character [[Lola Bunny]], who becomes Bugs' new love interest. ''Space Jam'' received mixed reviews from critics,<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/space_jam/|title=Space Jam|work=[[Rotten Tomatoes]]|publisher=[[Flixster]]|access-date=December 2, 2011|archive-date=January 13, 2008|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080113201726/http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/space_jam/|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite journal|last=McCarthy|first=Todd|date=November 17, 1996|url=https://www.variety.com/review/VE1117911460 |title=Space Jam|journal=[[Variety (magazine)|Variety]]|publisher=[[Reed Business Information]]|access-date=December 2, 2011}}</ref> but was a box office success (grossing over $230 million worldwide).<ref>{{cite web|url=https://boxofficemojo.com/movies/?id=spacejam.htm|title=Space Jam (1996)|work=[[Box Office Mojo]]|publisher=[[Internet Movie Database]]|access-date=December 2, 2011|archive-date=December 27, 2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111227215435/http://www.boxofficemojo.com/movies/?id=spacejam.htm|url-status=live}}</ref> The success of ''Space Jam'' led to the development of another live-action/animated film, ''[[Looney Tunes: Back in Action]]'', released in 2003 and directed by [[Joe Dante]]. Unlike ''Space Jam'', ''Back in Action'' was a [[box-office bomb]],<ref name="AnimatedMovieGuide">{{cite book|author-link=Jerry Beck|last=Beck|first=Jerry|title=The Animated Movie Guide|url=https://archive.org/details/animatedmoviegui0000beck|url-access=registration|year=2005}}</ref> though it did receive more positive reviews from critics.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/looney_tunes_back_in_action/|title=Looney Tunes: Back in Action|website=[[Rotten Tomatoes]]|access-date=January 29, 2008|archive-date=August 6, 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140806150439/http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/looney_tunes_back_in_action/|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.metacritic.com/movie/looney-tunes-back-in-action|title=Looney Tunes: Back in Action Reviews, Ratings, Credits, and More|website=[[Metacritic]]|access-date=January 29, 2008|archive-date=March 23, 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140323164407/http://www.metacritic.com/movie/looney-tunes-back-in-action|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=http://rogerebert.suntimes.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20031114/REVIEWS/311140303/1023|title=Looney Tunes: Back in Action :: rogerebert.com :: Reviews|publisher=Rogerebert.suntimes.com|access-date=October 29, 2012|date=November 14, 2003|archive-date=June 5, 2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110605194610/http://rogerebert.suntimes.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=%2F20031114%2FREVIEWS%2F311140303%2F1023|url-status=dead}}</ref>

In 1997, Bugs appeared on a [[stamp collecting|U.S. postage stamp]], the first cartoon to be so honored, beating the iconic Mickey Mouse. The stamp is number seven on the list of the ten most popular U.S. stamps, as calculated by the number of stamps purchased but not used. The introduction of Bugs onto a stamp was controversial at the time, as it was seen as a step toward the 'commercialization' of stamp art. The postal service rejected many designs and went with a postal-themed drawing. Avery Dennison printed the Bugs Bunny stamp sheet, which featured "a special ten-stamp design and was the first self-adhesive [[Miniature sheet|souvenir sheet]] issued by the [[U.S. Postal Service]]."<ref>[https://postalmuseum.si.edu/exhibition/art-of-the-stamp-the-artwork-stamps-with-a-story/looney-tunes-bugs-bunny ''Looney Tunes: Bugs Bunny stamp''.] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230727171239/https://postalmuseum.si.edu/exhibition/art-of-the-stamp-the-artwork-stamps-with-a-story/looney-tunes-bugs-bunny |date=July 27, 2023 }} [[National Postal Museum]] [[Smithsonian]].</ref>