<Tr> <Th> Budget </Th> <Td> $80 million </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Th> Box office </Th> <Td> $68.5 million </Td> </Tr> <P> Looney Tunes: Back in Action is a 2003 American live - action / animated comedy film directed by Joe Dante . It is the third feature - length live - action / animation hybrid film to feature Looney Tunes characters, after Who Framed Roger Rabbit (1988) and Space Jam (1996). The plot follows Daffy Duck and Bugs Bunny (both voiced by Joe Alaskey) as they help aspiring daredevil Damian "D.J." Drake, Jr . (Brendan Fraser) and Warner Bros. executive Kate Houghton (Jenna Elfman) find the "blue monkey" diamond in order to prevent the evil Mr. Chairman (Steve Martin) of the Acme Corporation from using it to turn mankind into monkeys that will manufacture his products; the group also attempts to rescue D.J.'s father (Timothy Dalton), an actor and spy who has been captured by Mr. Chairman . </P> <P> The film was theatrically released on November 14, 2003 with mixed - to - positive critical reception . However, the film was a box office bomb, grossing $68.5 million worldwide against an $80 million budget . This was the final film to be scored by composer Jerry Goldsmith, who died less than a year after the film's release . This was also the final film to be produced by Warner Bros. Feature Animation . </P>

Who plays the bad guy in looney tunes back in action