Pictured: Ben 10, The Batman, Transformers: Cyberverse, Sonic Boom
Cartoon Network is owned by Warner Bros Discovery, a company with its own streaming service known as Max. As a result, you may wonder why so many Cartoon Network titles are still streaming on Netflix.
Note: This article only applies to Netflix in the United States. Other region’s libraries will vary.
Netflix and Cartoon Network first entered business together in 2014 when a licensing deal for Cartoon Network and its nighttime block, Adult Swim, series came to fruition. Some of the shows in this initial batch included Johnny Bravo, Regular Show, Adventure Time, Robot Chicken, The Boondocks, and Aqua Teen Hunger Force. None of those series are currently streaming.
That doesn’t mean Cartoon Network is gone. There are still many series, which we’ll reveal below.
Why Does Warner Brothers Discovery Still License Content To Netflix?
When David Zaslav became the CEO of WBD in 2021, he changed the Warner Brothers and WB streaming strategy considerably. WBD was one of the first major companies to dramatically increase the number of films and series they licensed out to other platforms and began a trend that has now hit every major studio. They’re probably doing more than anyone, and more than Warner Brothers has ever done in any previous form.
For the first time in history, HBO is no longer the exclusive “Pay One” licensee to WB films. WBD licenses out their recent theatrical films in the Pay One window (first 18 months post-cinema) to Max, Prime, Hulu, and Netflix with them on 2-3 services at a time. This is also the most “spread out” Pay One in the history of film licensing. Another big change is his decision to place ads on prestige-brand HBO’s shows that were shielded and protected by all previous CEOs.
Additionally, the company has regularly removed classic WB series, Cartoon Network shows, and Adult Swim titles from Max to exclusively license them to FAST channels and platforms like Roku, Freevee, and Pluto TV. Even big HBO hits like Westworld have been purged and relegated to competitor companies’ free ad-supported (FAST) platforms.
For these reasons, we expect the Cartoon Network shows to keep popping into Netflix so that Zaslv can make an easy buck. The days of “all our studio content in one place” were abandoned before they even really got started. The big CEOs got cold feet and stopped chasing subscribers in favor of seeking profit margins a mere two years into the streaming wars, which are now looking a lot more like skirmishes.
Cartoon Network Series Streaming on Netflix
Picture: Sonic Boom | Cartoon Network
Please note that Netflix’s Cartoon Network collection contains popular anime series such as Naruto, Pokemon, and Yu-Gi-Oh!. Warner Brothers Animation did not produce them, nor did Warner Brothers distribute these series. Their presence is because they aired on Cartoon Network’s “Toonami” anime block when they were licensed to Netflix.
| Title (Seasons) | Date Available / Most Recent Renewal | Estimated Exit |
|---|---|---|
| The Batman | May 22, 2023 (Return) | May 22, 2025 |
| Ben 10 (Seasons 1-4) | June 5, 2023 (Return) | June 5, 2025 |
| Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs (Season 1) | November 30, 2018 | February 1, 2024 |
| The Garfield Show (Seasons 3-4) | March 15, 2018 (2 seasons removed July 1, 2023) | July 1, 2026 |
| Johnny Test* (Seasons 1-6) | May 12, 2015 | June 2, 2031 |
| Justice League (Seasons 1-2) | May 8, 2023 (Return) | May 8, 2025 |
| Justice League Unlimited (Seasons 1-2) | May 8, 2023 (Return) | May 8, 2025 |
| LEGO Ninjago** (Seasons 1-4) | October 10, 2022 | November 1, 2024 |
| Naruto (Seasons 1-9) | September 1, 2019 | March 16, 2028 |
| Pokemon Indigo League (Season 1) | September 15, 2014 (1 season removed February 2, 2016) | September 1, 2024 |
| Scooby Doo! Mystery Incorporated (Seasons 1-2) | April 24, 2023 (Return) | April 24, 2025 |
| Sonic Boom (Season 1) | January 31, 2023 | January 31, 2026 |
| Thomas and Friends: All Engines Go! (Seasons 1-2) | October 29, 2021 (Season 1); February 3, 2023 (Season 2) | October 29, 2026 |
| Total Drama (Seasons 1-7) | January 1, 2023 | February 1, 2027 |
| Transformers: Cyberverse (Seasons 3-4) | September 17, 2019 (1 season removed January 1, 2023) | January 1, 2025 |
| Transformers: Robots in Disguise (Season 1) | September 8, 2018 | January 1, 2025 |
| Yu-Gi-Oh! (Season 1) | November 1, 2014 (Multiple seasons removed since) | August 1, 2026 |
*Johnny Test was rebooted as an N Original with no ties to Warner Brothers / Cartoon Network
**Future LEGO Ninjago franchise titles are now N Originals with no association with Warner Brothers / Cartoon Network
Cartoon Network Series That Have Left Netflix
| Title | Date Available | Date Left |
|---|---|---|
| Code Lyoko (Seasons 1-4) | October 1, 2020 | October 1, 2023 |
What’s your favorite Cartoon Network title on Netflix? Let us know in the comments.
Netflix Synopsis: "When an explosive battle with Dr. Eggman shatters the universe, Sonic races through parallel dimensions to reconnect with his friends and save the world."
