10 Crazy Cartoon Crossovers
As usual with our retro lists bear in mind that this list is not ranked or intended to be definitive. We may come back to the topic some day! If we left off your favourite cartoon crossover let us know in the comments, or via our usual social media channels!
Scooby-Doo Meets Batman
Scooby-Doo has made crossovers his bread-and-butter for a few years now appearing onscreen alongside Glam-rockers KISS, WWE Wrestlers, The Harlem Globetrotters and recently even a pair of celebrity chefs. Crossover events are also a major thing in superhero comics, so Batman has also met everyone- from the obvious (every DC hero ever) to the unexpected (the Predator). These two unlikely franchises have actually crossed over on a couple of occasions. Batman and Robin first met the Mystery Inc gang back in 1972, in The Dynamic Scooby-Doo Affair. Unsurprisingly, this version of Batman is closely modelled on the 60s TV series, both in looks and character. They met again in The Caped Crusader Caper released later the same year, and the two episodes were later compiled into the movie Scooby-Doo Meets Batman Their most recent meeting was in the 2018 release Scooby-Doo & Batman: Brave and The Bold.
Turtles Forever
There have been several different interpretations of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles over the years, from the original monochrome Mirage comics to this year's technicolour Rise Of The Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. In 2009 the TV Movie Turtles Forever saw some of these incarnations meet. Made to celebrate the franchise's 25th Anniversary it featured the then-current incarnation of the Heroes in a Half-Shell meet their 80's predecessors and the Mirage comics versions in a dimension-crossing adventure. The later 2012 CGI Turtles series also crossed over with the 1987 several times- including in the series' final episodes.Tom and Jerry Meet Willy Wonka
The internet did a collective double-take when it first laid eye on this truly bizarre confection. Were we all dreaming? The once great cat and mouse duo have been stuck in video-movie limbo for some years now- and some of these have mined Warner Bros extensive back catalogue, whether they make logistical sense or not (isn't chocolate toxic to cats?). After inserting Tom and Jerry into classics like this movie and The Wizard Of Oz, we can't wait to see Tom and Jerry Meet The Exorcist, Tom and Jerry: Goodfellas or Tom and Jerry Meet The Dark Knight, which can't be far away.
Cartoon All-Stars To The Rescue
Infinity War is the most ambitious crossover event in history, says Marvel. We're not so sure about that. This 1990 TV special features animated characters from several rival companies all coming together It features Bugs Bunny and Daffy Duck (Warner Bros) Winnie The Pooh, Tigger, Huey, Dewey and Louie (Disney) Garfield, ALF, Alvin and The Chipmunks, Slimer (from The Real Ghostbusters) Kermit, Miss Piggy and Gonzo (Muppet Babies) Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle Michelangelo and The Smurfs. Bankrolled by McDonalds and introduced by President George H Bush and First Lady Barbara Bush, it was part of an Anti-drugs campaign running at the time. In an unprecedented act of cooperation, it was simultaneously broadcast on all 4 major US networks.
The Simpsons Meet The Critic
Long before the tonally questionable crossover with Family Guy, The Simpsons first cross-over episode was with the short-lived ABC (and later Fox) prime-time animation The Critic. In A Star Is Burns, The Critic's main character Jay Sherman (voiced by Jon Lovitz) is invited to be a judge at The Springfield Film Festival. Simpsons creator Matt Groening was vehemently opposed to the episode and had his name removed from the credits. Being associated with The Simpsons wasn't enough to save The Critic, however, and the series was canned after just two seasons.
The Jetsons Meet The Flinstones
The prehistoric Flinstones are separated by The futuristic Jetsons by several million years. That's no problem in animation, so the 1987 TV movie The Jetsons Meet The Flinstones saw the two Hanna-Barbera families meet for the first time, via the magic of time-travel. Of course, the Jetsons was a pretty transparent attempt to recreate the success of their stone-age sitcom (a common tactic for the company, see Captain Caveman and umpteen other Scooby clones) so the two series styles were a natural fit.
Scoobynatural
Long-running CW series Supernatural has dabbled in animation before, with an anime adaptation a few years back. This animated episode, however, actually took place as part of the show itself, airing as the 16th episode of season 13. Lead characters Sam and Dean Winchester are transported into the world of Scooby-Doo, teaming up with Mystery Inc to try and solve their latest case. The resulting episode drew praise from fans of Supernatural and Scooby alike.
Lupin III Vs Detective Conan
Gentleman thief Lupin III (best known in the west for the Hayao Miyazaki directed feature Castle Of Cagliostro) and Detective Conan (star of Case Closed) are both household names in Japan. Sharing a production studio (TMS) it was surely only a matter of time that they would meet on screen. They may be on opposing sides of the law but fans know that Lupin is really not such a bad guy, and (despite the title) the two end up working together to uncover a murderer. After the success of the TV special they appeared together again in Lupin III vs Detective Conan: The Movie, released four years later.
Archer Meets Kingsman
It may only be a promotional video (made to promote the release of Kingsman: The Golden Circle, the second in Matthew Vaughn's spy series) but this is a heap of fun. Kingsman lead character Eggsy (voiced by Taron Egerton) meets H. Jon Benjamin's Sterling Archer, and a clash of personalities- and cultures- ensues. It also makes us think a Kingsman animated series could work really well- and with original creator Mark Millar now working with Netflix to create series and movies based on his properties, that may not be out of the question.
Peter Kay's Animated All Star Band
One guaranteed way to get people working together is via charity- and this is a perfect example. Made in aid of BBC Children In Need and the brainchild of comedian Peter Kay, this 2009 video is a parody of the classic charity single. It features beloved children's characters spanning more than 50 years of British TV including Bagpuss, Thomas The Tank Engine, Bob The Builder, Thunderbirds, Postman Pat, The Wombles, The Tellytubbies, Paddington and many more... plus a cameo from Scooby Doo and Shaggy. As with most things Kay was involved with, the single was a big success and hit number one in the charts.
Children In Need - Peter Kay's Animated All Star Band from factory on Vimeo.
