Cartoons are supposed to be funny, but many Johnny Depp fans weren't laughing after he was seemingly dubbed a "liar" on Hulu's "Animaniacs" revival.
The bit has prompted many on Twitter to call for a boycott of the show and Warner Bros., the studio behind the revival of the '90s favorite.
The anger stems from a movie poster in the background of a scene that shows a cartoon version of Johnny holding a pair of scissors. The title of the faux movie on the poster is "Johnny 2: Telling Lies."
Many assume this was a blatant shot at the actor for his legal battle against The Sun after it called him a "wife beater." During the case against the tabloid, Johnny's ex Amber Heard testified graphically, often claiming abuse. Johnny has always maintained that he never abused Amber and argued that he was a victim of abuse. A judge sided with The Sun, claiming Amber's allegations were "substantially true." Afterward, Johnny was asked to leave the "Fantastic Beasts" franchise. Still, Johnny's fans are steadfast in their belief that he was the victim.
While the critics understand that the episode was written in 2018, long before Johnny's legal battle, they argued that it should have been edited out given the high-profile case.
"Some defend this because the reboot was written in 2018 and was capitalising on the Johnny Johnny Yes Papa meme, but considering Depp was a polarising topic for the entire year plus new info even if above was true, they should have just edited it out," one person tweeted.
Another said, "Warner Brothers: this is a sick thing to do to an abuse survivor. Listen to the tapes – Johnny Depp has been put through psychological torture and physical abuse. I'm sorry that I don't find this funny, but it's no laughing matter."
Some fans called the joke "disgusting."
"As much as I liked the new Animaniacs, I can not in good conscience bring myself to support this show or Warner Brothers," another said. "It is absolutely sickening to see them use a cartoon to make fun of an Abuse victim while wholeheartedly defending the culprit."