What Happened to The Banana Splits Adventure Hour?

The Banana Splits Adventure Hour premiered on NBC on September 7, 1968, as a children's television variety show produced by Hanna-Barbera Productions. The show featured a fictional rock band composed of four costumed animal characters: Fleegle (a dog), Bingo (an ape), Drooper (a lion), and Snorky (an elephant), whose costumes and sets were designed by Sid and Marty Krofft. The program combined live-action comedy sketches, musical segments, and animated cartoons like 'Danger Island' and 'Arabian Knights'. It ran for 31 episodes across two seasons until September 5, 1970.

Following its initial cancellation, the characters appeared in the 1972 animated TV special 'The Banana Splits in Hocus Pocus Park' and continued in reruns on various networks, including TBS, Cartoon Network, and Boomerang, extending their reach to new generations. The franchise saw a revival in 2008 with new comedy shorts, music videos, and a multi-platform effort including DVDs and live entertainment. In 2016, Warner Bros. collaborated with 'Yo Gabba Gabba!' creator Christian Jacobs on a live-action-animated hybrid pilot for a new series, but it was ultimately shelved and never publicly released. The characters also made an appearance in the HBO Max animated series 'Jellystone!' which premiered in 2021.

A significant and unexpected turning point for the franchise came in 2019 with the release of 'The Banana Splits Movie.' This R-rated comedy horror film reimagined the beloved characters as murderous animatronics who go on a killing spree after learning their show is being canceled. The film premiered at San Diego Comic-Con on July 18, 2019, and was released digitally on August 13, 2019, and on Syfy in October 2019. It received mixed reviews but garnered considerable attention for its dark twist on a classic children's property.

As of 2026, The Banana Splits franchise is experiencing a renewed push towards family-friendly content. An 'upcoming comedy action thriller adventure sequel television series' titled 'The Banana Splits' was announced for AppleTV+'s lineup for 2026 on July 27, 2025, and officially greenlit on December 22, 2025. This series, set to premiere on July 7, 2026, and projected to run for seven seasons and over 140 episodes, will reportedly take place five months after the original 1968-1970 series, focusing on the Splits' attempt to revive their music career. Additionally, a computer-animated musical comedy film, also titled 'The Banana Splits' and directed by Tony Cervone, is slated for a 2026 release, promising a more family-friendly approach than its horror predecessor. Another project, 'The Banana Splits: World Tour,' an action-adventure comedy slapstick children's TV film, is also listed with a July 2026 release. Merchandise, including apparel and collectibles, continues to be available through various retailers.