Tom and Jerry is an American animated cartoon franchise comedy shorts first created in 1940 by William Hanna and Joseph Barbera. Best known for its iconic short films by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, the series has continued to produce shorts and films for over 50 years. The franchise centers on the rivalry between the titular characters of a cat named Tom and a mouse named Jerry among other recurring supporting characters. Plans for a live action film are set to hit theaters in 2021.