Cartoon Network has served as more than just a home for countless animated shows—it has also built up an impressive collection of major films over the years. In the past, the channel produced movies for beloved franchises like The Powerpuff Girls, Foster’s Home for Imaginary Friends, Dexter’s Laboratory, Teen Titans, The Grim Adventures of Billy & Mandy, and others. Unfortunately, in the age of streaming, many of these movies have struggled to find an audience. Fortunately, as part of efforts to revive a cherished Cartoon Network property, one of these films is set to return to the airwaves next month.
On May 11th, Regular Show: The Lost Tapes will begin airing on Cartoon Network, bringing back fan-favorite characters like Mordecai, Rigby, and the rest of the park crew. A marathon has already been scheduled for May 6th on the network, but before that, Regular Show: The Movie will premiere the day prior to The Lost Tapes launch. On May 10th at 9:15 AM Eastern Time, the film—currently unavailable on any streaming platform—will make its return to Cartoon Network. While viewers can still rent or buy the movie digitally, this marks the first time since April 30th, 2016, that cable subscribers can watch it for free.
For those who may have missed it, the Regular Show movie essentially played out like an oversized episode, exploring the past, present, and future of Mordecai and Rigby. Released before the show’s sixth season, the film depicted a future where the two best friends had become bitter enemies, and a universal threat endangered all timelines. Staying true to the show’s signature style, the movie blended everyday banality with an outrageous scenario—putting the fate of all creation in the hands of a few park employees.
Regular Show: The Movie was available on streaming for a short time, but unfortunately became a casualty of HBO Max’s purge of many animated titles. Although the main series later found a home on Hulu, the same couldn’t be said for this extended special, which hasn’t been available on any streaming service for years. With the franchise’s resurgence next month, there’s hope the film may eventually return to a streaming platform.
As for Regular Show: The Lost Tapes, this spin-off series will bring the beloved park employees back to the screen after a long absence. Thankfully, series creator J.G. Quintel is returning to lead the project and voice Mordecai once again, with most of the original cast also set to reprise their roles. While the original series finale wrapped things up rather definitively, the new spin-off will take viewers back in time to explore previously unseen, bizarre adventures featuring Mordecai and Rigby.
About the Author
