Coyote vs. Acme

Name	Coyote vs. Acme
Image
Caption	Teaser poster
Director	Dave Green
Screenplay	Samy Burch
Cinematography	Brandon Trost
Editing	Carsten Kurpanek
Music	Steven Price
Distributor	Ketchup Entertainment
Released	2026-08-28
Country	United States
Language	English
Budget	$70–72 million

Premise

After every product made by the Acme Corporation has backfired on Wile E. Coyote in his pursuit of the Road Runner, down-and-out human billboard attorney Kevin Avery represents Wile E. in a lawsuit against Acme. A growing friendship between Wile E. and Kevin motivates their determination to win the court case, as it pits them against Buddy Crane, the intimidating boss of Kevin's former law firm, who now represents Acme.

Cast

• Will Forte as Kevin Avery, Wile E. Coyote's lawyer
• John Cena as Buddy Crane, the Acme Corporation's lawyer
• Lana Condor as Paige Avery, Kevin's niece
• P. J. Byrne as Bill Pellicano, an Acme Corporation lawyer
• Tone Bell
• Martha Kelly
• Luis Guzmán as the judge overseeing the trial

Production

Development and writing

In August 2018, Warner Bros. Pictures announced the development of a Wile E. Coyote project, titled Coyote vs. Acme, with The Lego Batman Movie (2017) director Chris McKay as producer and Jon and Josh Silberman writing the script. In mid-December 2019, Warner Animation Group hired Dave Green to direct the live-action/animated hybrid film, while Jon and Josh Silberman were replaced as screenwriters, but remained producers. In December 2020, McKay left the project, while Jon and Josh Silberman left their producing roles and returned to screenwriting duties alongside Samy Burch, Jeremy Slater, and James Gunn. Along with the departure of McKay, it was reported that the film draws inspiration from the fictional 1990 New Yorker article of the same name by Ian Frazier. In March 2023, the film's final writing credits were given: Burch received sole credit for the screenplay and shared credit for the story with Slater and Gunn, while off-screen additional literary credit was given to Alex Cuthbertson, Jacob Fleisher, Matt Fusfeld, Dan Goor, BenDavid Grabinski, Craig Wright, and Jon and Josh Silberman. Gunn, alongside Tom & Jerry (2021) producer Chris DeFaria, also received final credit as producers on the film, with Gunn under his production banner Two Monkeys, A Goat and Another, Dead, Monkey.

Years before the film's announcement around 2015, Gunn pitched the film's concept to Warner Bros. and brought Slater to write the film's first draft due to their friendship, which he enjoyed due to growing up with the Looney Tunes cartoons; obeying some limitations in regards to what he could include due to other projects from the franchise that were concurrently in development even though they were not in the conceptual phase yet, with the inclusions of Bugs Bunny and Daffy Duck being off-limits for example, Slater's script had the Tasmanian Devil as an antagonist for a scene where everyone has to run away from him in his deranged form and included a sequence with a "little bit of cartoon-stuff" of the Coyote classically chasing the Road Runner, the latter being his only contribution that remained in the finished film. He and Gunn discussed the project and decided to make a movie for fans of the characters with expected comedy and visual-sight gags, but with some heart so the audience would care about the title character instead of making him the "butt of the jokes" due to his reputation as a loveable loser, unlike past Looney Tunes movies where everything is "a live-action cartoon" where everything is treated as a gag, with both opting to make the Coyote's story feel like that of a man getting a dog for the first time due to both loving their dogs and the bonds they unexpectedly formed with them, hence why they opted to never have the Coyote speak to someone or break the fourth wall so the audience could feel their pets through him. When Slater handed in his draft, Warner decided it was not what they were looking for at that time, so Slater moved on until he was contacted eight years later and told the project had been greenlit after going through dozens of writers with the final draft not having a lot of his original draft's content but capturing his own's spirit, emotion and central relationships, praising Burch for her job.

In November 2022, Foghorn Leghorn, Granny, Sylvester the Cat and Tweety were confirmed to be in the film. In December 2022, Bugs Bunny, Daffy Duck, Elmer Fudd and Yosemite Sam were also confirmed to be in the film. In January 2023, Porky Pig was also confirmed to be in the film.

Editor Carsten Kurpanek described the film's story as a "David vs Goliath story" that tackles Wile E. Coyote's persistence in the face of the Acme Corporation's "cynical and casual cruelness of capitalism and corporate greed".

Casting

In February 2022, John Cena was cast as the film's main antagonist, described as the lawyer in defense of Acme and the former boss to Wile E.'s lawyer; he previously collaborated with Gunn on the DC Extended Universe (DCEU) projects The Suicide Squad (2021) and Peacemaker (2022–25). The following month, Will Forte and Lana Condor were added to the cast, with Forte starring as Wile E.'s lawyer.

Filming and production design

Principal photography took place from March to May 2022 in Albuquerque, New Mexico, with Brandon Trost serving as cinematographer. The creative team acknowledged Who Framed Roger Rabbit (1988) as a reference for the film's live-action interaction with animated characters. New Mexico Film Office director Amber Dodson commented in a press release that the production would "showcase our beautiful city as an already iconic location and setting in the Looney Tunes cartoons".

Visual effects and animation

Music

Following the announcement of the film's initial cancellation, Steven Price announced that he composed the film's score, and shared a choir rendition of the Road Runner's vocal effects titled the "Meep Meep Choir".

Release

Coyote vs. Acme is scheduled to be released in the United States on August 28, 2026. It was initially planned to be theatrically released in the United States on July 21, 2023, by Warner Bros. Pictures. On April 26, 2022, the studio removed the film from its release schedule, replacing it with Barbie. On March 31, 2025, it was announced that the film is set to be released in 2026, following the film's acquisition by Ketchup Entertainment. In July 2025, it was given its specific release date at San Diego Comic-Con.

Initial cancellation, reversal and further discussions

On November 9, 2023, Warner Bros. officials announced that the film was completed, but that they would not release it, because Warner Bros. Discovery preferred to claim a tax loss of about $30 million. This would make it the third cancelled film by Warner Bros. Discovery following Batgirl and Scoob! Holiday Haunt. The crew was not informed of the decision until after the film was completed. The move drew criticism from filmmakers, animation outlets, and talent representatives. Several filmmakers left angry phone calls with Warner Bros. expressing their frustration at the move. Others also canceled meetings with the studio. Many noted that the film had drawn praise at test screenings and interest from potential buyers. Director Dave Green voiced his disappointment over the film's cancellation, further emphasizing his love for the Looney Tunes and writing that "We were all determined to honor the legacies of these historic characters and actually get them right."

On November 13, 2023, Puck reported Warner Bros. Discovery leaders had reversed their decision and allowed the filmmakers the option to shop the film to other distributors. Deadline Hollywood reported that Amazon MGM Studios, Apple Studios, and Netflix were interested in buying the distribution rights to the film. TheWrap reported that despite interest from distributors to buy the film, there are "currently no hard offers, and that Green is crafting his own 'PR campaign'". On December 8, Deadline Hollywood further reported that the film had been screened for more studios including Paramount Pictures and Sony Pictures. Of these, Netflix and Paramount had made bids, with the latter including a theatrical component; Amazon was still interested despite making no formal bids; and Sony and Apple were not planning to make bids.

On February 9, 2024, TheWrap reported that Warner Bros. Discovery had rejected the bids from Netflix, Amazon, and Paramount. The company wanted $75–$80 million to sell the film, but no distributors met their price, and Warner Bros. Discovery rejected counter bids. The company considered shelving and deleting the film (which remained in limbo at the time) and again claiming it as a tax loss. Following their Q4 2023 earnings call on February 23, 2024, Warner Bros. Discovery took a $115 million write-down while not directly confirming the cancellation of the film.

On March 10, 2024, during the red carpet for the 96th Academy Awards, Burch said conversations were still ongoing within Warner Bros. and that "we hope it will somehow find its home and not end up stuck in a vault for the rest of time". In April 2024, a Warner Bros. spokesperson told The New York Times that while the fate of the film is unclear, it "remains available for acquisition".

Responses

As with the initial cancellation, TheWrap report on the film's possible final cancellation drew online criticism. The hashtags #ReleaseCoyoteVsAcme and #SaveCoyoteVsAcme, along with other hashtags relating to it, started trending on February 9, 2024 (the date of the article's release), and continued to trend for the following weeks. Eric Bauza addressed this in an improvised exchange between Bugs Bunny and Daffy Duck during his speech at the 51st Annie Awards, with him saying "I hate to be political, but release Coyote vs. Acme!" in Daffy's voice.

Industry figures who saw Coyote vs. Acme included Phil Lord and Christopher Miller, Michael Chaves, and Daniel Scheinert. Lord called the film "wonderful" and "moving", and lamented that Warner Bros.' move was "anticompetitive", while Miller said he "hoped several studios go after it so the world can see all the good work people did." Writer-director BenDavid Grabinski claimed it was "the best of its kind since Who Framed Roger Rabbit", while filmmaker Brian Duffield, who gave notes on the film, compared it to the studio's own Barbie film, feeling that both "play with iconography in a really fun, popcorn kind of way." In an interview with Screen Rant on May 31, 2024, Adil El Arbi and Bilall Fallah, directors of the cancelled Batgirl film, revealed that they are both friends with Green and said, "I think that movies must be seen by the audience, and the audience must judge them."

In February 2024, Forte released a public statement addressed to the cast and crew after seeing the final cut of the film: "I know that a lot of you haven't gotten a chance to see our movie. And sadly, it's looking like you never will. When I first heard that our movie was getting 'deleted,' I hadn't seen it yet. So I was thinking what everyone else must have been thinking: this thing must be a hunk of junk. But then I saw it. And it's incredible … Please know that all the years and years of hard work, dedication and love that you put into this movie shows in every frame. That's all folks."

In January 2025, Condor revealed the film had a "funeral screening" when news of the initial cancellation was first broken. In February, when asked if the film still had a chance to be released, Bauza responded, "That is the question of the year, and it's only February! I'm going to say yes. If this movie, The Day the Earth Blew Up: A Looney Tunes Movie—opening March 14th, in theaters everywhere—gets a lot of money, then we might see Coyote vs. Acme. Stranger things have happened! And if we don't, I am going to put that movie under everyone's seat as a DVD. No, I'm just kidding. I was kidding, David Zaslav. You didn't see that here!"

Sale to Ketchup Entertainment

On March 19, 2025, Deadline reported that Ketchup Entertainment was in talks to acquire all rights to the film from Warner Bros. for approximately $50 million, following its acquisition of the North American distribution rights to The Day the Earth Blew Up: A Looney Tunes Movie. If negotiations proved to be successful, the film would be scheduled for a theatrical release in 2026. On March 31, Deadline and Ketchup Entertainment confirmed that the sale had been closed, with a statement from Ketchup's CEO reading, "We're thrilled to have made a deal with Warner Bros. Pictures to bring this film to audiences worldwide. film is a perfect blend of nostalgia and modern storytelling, capturing the essence of the beloved Looney Tunes characters while introducing them to a new generation. We believe it will resonate with both longtime fans and newcomers alike."

On May 8, Deadline reported that the film was set for international sales at the Cannes Film Market through Kinology, with footage available for buyers and a potential market screening.

References

• Frazier, Ian, February 19, 1990, Wile E. Coyote v. Acme Company, by Ian Frazier, live, The New Yorker, October 16, 2018, April 22, 2023
• Couch, Aaron, Hibberd, James, November 13, 2023, Warner Bros. Reverses Course on 'Coyote vs. Acme' After Filmmakers Rebel, August 2, 2024, The Hollywood Reporter, November 13, 2023, live
• March 21, 2023, Coyote vs. Acme, live, April 9, 2023, April 9, 2023, Writers Guild of America West
• Will Forte Joins John Cena in , Coyote vs. Acme, for Warner Bros., The Hollywood Reporter, Kit, Borys, March 9, 2022, March 15, 2022, March 16, 2022, live
• Alexa, Laurén, January 22, 2024, First Look Revealed for Resurrected , Coyote vs. Acme, Feature, live, January 24, 2024, January 24, 2024, Animation World Network
• Farley, Lloyd, March 19, 2025, Want 'Coyote vs. Acme' To Be Released? Go Buy a Ticket for 'The Day the Earth Blew Up: A Looney Tunes Movie', March 22, 2025, Collider, en, March 19, 2025, live
• Justin, Kroll, Will Forte And Lana Condor To Co-Star With John Cena In Looney Tunes Live-Action/Animated Hybrid Pic , Coyote Vs. Acme, Deadline Hollywood, March 9, 2022, March 9, 2022, March 10, 2022, live
• 1756717454599110731, Kurpanek, Some great BTS stuff here! Love the shot of @lanacondor with a real Wile E. impact-crater. @MarthaKelly3 and @toneBell are hilarious! I have stories about every frame and if the movie gets released, I'll hopefully get to tell them. #ReleaseCoyoteVsAcme, Carsten, Kurpanek, February 11, 2024, June 4, 2024
• D'Alessandro, Anthony, July 26, 2025, 'Coyote Vs. Acme': Will Forte Says Looney Tunes Movie Getting Late Summer 2026 Global Release – Comic-Con, July 26, 2025, Deadline Hollywood
• 1742340657178701972, NedThorne, @DEADLINE has slightly bad intel (or just fact checkers), as Eric Bauza did NOT voice Wile E. Coyote; in the film, Wile is a silent character, and Eric plays several other roles. But that shouldn't stop you from supporting #releasecoyotevsacme ! #coyotevsacme, Ned, Thorne, January 3, 2024, January 3, 2023, en, January 3, 2024
• 1757951532858015975, dgreenmachine, Tons and tons of characters. Both in significant supporting roles, and in bit cameos. Name a character, and they're likely in the movie., Dave, Green, Dave Green (director), February 14, 2024, February 14, 2024
• Warner Bros' Wile E. Coyote Movie Finds Its Scribes In The Silberman Brothers, August 28, 2018, Anthony, D'Alessandro, Deadline Hollywood, March 12, 2022, March 12, 2022, live
• Warner Bros. Pictures Greenlights Three Films For Its 2023 Worldwide Theatrical Slate, December 23, 2020, Warner Bros., January 30, 2024, live, February 10, 2024
• Warner Bros.' Wile E. Coyote Movie Sets Dave Green to Direct (Exclusive), Donnelly, Matt, Variety, Penske Media Corporation, December 17, 2019, December 18, 2019, December 17, 2019, live
• Rubin, Rebecca, December 23, 2020, Warner Bros. to Release , Mad Max: Fury Road, Prequel and , The Color Purple, Musical in Theaters in 2023, live, December 24, 2020, December 23, 2020, Variety, Penske Media Corporation
• Filmmaker Jeremy Slater Talks Moon Knight, Mortal Kombat II, and More, Cairns, Bryan, June 6, 2025, July 31, 2025, live
• John Cena on Instagram, December 11, 2024, August 30, 2024, live
• John Cena on Instagram
• John Cena on Instagram
• John Cena on Instagram, August 30, 2024, December 13, 2022, live
• John Cena on Instagram
• Kurpanek, Carsten, #CoyoteVsAcme is about a giant corporation choosing stock over empathy, doing nothing "illegal" but morally shady stuff for profit. It's a David vs Goliath story. It's about the cynical and casual cruelness of capitalism and corporate greed. No wonder Warner doesn't want to #releasecoyoteVsACME, Kurpanek, 1755982973583987126, February 9, 2024, February 11, 2024, live
• Kit, Borys, February 16, 2022, John Cena to Star in , Coyote vs. Acme, for Warner Bros., live, February 18, 2022, February 16, 2022, The Hollywood Reporter
• Kasule, Melissa, February 22, 2022, Warner Bros.' , Coyote vs. Acme, set to shoot in New Mexico, live, February 22, 2022, April 19, 2022, Kemps Film and TV Production Services Handbook
• CeJUg_hLC88, mikedfernandez, We wrapped Coyote vs. Acme Sat morning! 📸, May 28, 2022, November 1, 2022, November 19, 2023, live
• O'Rourke, Ryan, January 27, 2023, Will Forte Details What It's Like Starring With the Looney Tunes in , Coyote vs. Acme, , Exclusive, live, January 27, 2023, January 28, 2023, Collider
• June 9, 2022, Live-action movie , Coyote vs. ACME, filmed in ABQ area, live, June 12, 2022, August 20, 2022, Rio Rancho Observer
• Coyote vs. Acme, dead, April 12, 2022, April 27, 2022, DNEG
• Scout, The, Career Advice: Working as a Character Modeler and Facial Rigger at a Creative Studio, The Rookies, July 14, 2024
• 1757651638209446184, dgreenmachine, Our sketchviz team designed poses and expressions in 2d and found the building blocks of performance. 3d and 2d artists worked in tandem, and would all keep a close eye on the originals. A handful of shots were finaled in 2d, and certain characters were handled entirely in 2d., Dave, Green, Dave Green (director), February 14, 2024, February 14, 2024
• Kurpanek, Carsten, Duncan Studios did an incredible job on one of Looney Tunes' most beloved characters. Handdrawn 2D perfection! It would be a shame if the fans didn't get to see it. #ReleaseCoyoteVsAcme, Kurpanek, 1760313847725048264, February 21, 2024, February 22, 2024, live
• Burlingame, Russ, November 15, 2023, Coyote vs. Acme Composer Shares Hilarious BTS Recording From Movie, live, January 10, 2024, January 10, 2024, ComicBook.com
• D'Alessandro, Anthony, Barbie, Heads To Summer 2023 – CinemaCon, Deadline Hollywood, April 26, 2022, April 26, 2022, April 26, 2022, live
• Wiseman, Andreas, March 31, 2025, Warner Bros Completes Worldwide Sale Of 'Coyote Vs Acme', live, March 31, 2025, March 31, 2025, Deadline Hollywood
• Adam B., Vary, Variety, 'Coyote vs. Acme' Lands August 2026 Release Date, Footage Debuts at Comic-Con Despite Acme Corp. Meddling, July 26, 2025, July 26, 2025
• D'Alessandro, Anthony, November 9, 2023, Coyote Vs. Acme, : Finished Live/Action Animated Pic Shelved Completely By Warner Bros As Studio Takes $30M Tax Write-off, live, November 9, 2023, November 9, 2023, Deadline Hollywood
• Roundtree, Cheyenne, November 10, 2023, Coyote vs. Acme, Crew Were Blindsided by Warner Bros. Killing Movie, live, Rolling Stone, November 11, 2023, November 11, 2023
• D'Alessandro, Anthony, November 13, 2023, Coyote Vs. Acme, : Warner Bros Setting Up Screenings For Streamers Of Axed , Looney Tunes, Film; Amazon A Prime Candidate – The Dish, November 13, 2023, Deadline Hollywood, November 13, 2023, live
• Bergeson, Samantha, November 10, 2023, Scrapped , Coyote Vs. Acme, Film Teased in BTS Videos as Creatives Say Warner Bros. Is 'Anti-Art', live, November 10, 2023, November 10, 2023, IndieWire
• Amidi, Amid, Amid Amidi, November 9, 2023, Warner Bros. Shelves Fully-Completed , Coyote Vs. Acme, For Tax Write-Off, November 10, 2023, Cartoon Brew, November 10, 2023, live
• Dela Paz, Maggie, November 10, 2023, Coyote vs. Acme, Director Voices Out Disappointment Over Cancelation, live, November 17, 2023, January 7, 2024, Comic Book Resources
• Belloni, Matthew, Warners Reverses Course in , Coyote vs. Acme, Fight, Puck, November 13, 2023, November 13, 2023, November 13, 2023, live
• Bergeson, Samantha, November 13, 2023, Warner Bros. Will Let , Coyote Vs. Acme, Filmmakers Shop Movie to Other Distributors, November 13, 2023, IndieWire, November 13, 2023, live
• Thompson, Jaden, November 14, 2023, Rep. Joaquin Castro Calls Warner Bros. Discovery 'Predatory' for Shelving , Coyote vs. Acme, , Asks Justice Dept. to 'Review This Conduct', live, November 15, 2023, November 15, 2023, Variety
• Lopez, Kristen, November 20, 2023, Has , Coyote vs. Acme, Sowed Distrust Between Warner Bros. and Creatives? Analysis, December 2, 2023, TheWrap, December 3, 2023, live
• D'Alessandro, Anthony, December 8, 2023, Coyote Vs. Acme, : Paramount Circling; Amazon Still Possible Contender – The Dish, December 8, 2023, Deadline Hollywood, December 8, 2023, live
• Taylor, Drew, February 9, 2024, The Final Days of , Coyote vs. Acme, : Offers, Rejections and a Roadrunner Race Against Time, February 9, 2024, TheWrap, February 9, 2024, live
• D'Alessandro, Anthony, February 10, 2024, Coyote Vs. Acme, : With Pic's Fate In Limbo At Warners, Phil Lord Observes, 'How Funny It Would Be For This To End With A Congressional Hearing', live, February 11, 2024, February 10, 2024, Deadline Hollywood
• Carr, Mary Kate, February 9, 2024, Coyote Vs. Acme, is probably getting scrapped anyway, live, February 9, 2024, February 9, 2024, The A.V. Club
• Graves, Sabina, February 9, 2024, Coyote vs. Acme, , Fate Might Have Been Sealed by Real Judge Doom David Zaslav, live, February 11, 2024, February 9, 2024, Gizmodo
• Dick, Jeremy, February 9, 2024, Coyote vs. Acme, , Latest Update Spells Very Bad News for Looney Tunes Movie, live, February 9, 2024, February 9, 2024, Comic Book Resources
• Lyles, Taylor, February 10, 2024, Warner Bros. Reportedly Set to Shelve and Delete , Coyote vs. Acme, Film Once and for All, live, February 11, 2024, February 11, 2024, IGN
• Couch, Aaron, February 23, 2024, As 'Coyote vs. Acme' Hangs in the Balance, Warner Bros. Discovery Takes $115M Write-Down on Mystery Projects, February 24, 2024, The Hollywood Reporter, February 24, 2024, live
• Perella, Vincent, Bergeson, Samantha, March 10, 2024, 'Coyote vs. Acme' Writer Samy Burch Says Film May Still Be Released: Conversations Are 'Ongoing,' but We'd Be 'Heartbroken' If It's Shelved, live, March 10, 2024, March 11, 2024, IndieWire
• Brown, T.M., April 9, 2024, Want to See This Film? Movie Studios Won't Let You., live, April 15, 2024, April 15, 2024, The New York Times
• Fuge, Jonathan, February 9, 2024, Coyote vs. Acme Star Shares New Images & Gratitude for Support From Fans, February 28, 2024, MovieWeb, February 26, 2024, live
• Looney Tunes Star Pleads "Release Coyote vs. Acme" at Annie Awards: Watch, February 28, 2024, Valdez, Nick, ComicBook.com, February 18, 2024, February 28, 2024, live
• Rahman, Abid, November 15, 2023, Phil Lord, Christopher Miller Praise 'Coyote vs. Acme': "It's Delightful", August 2, 2024, The Hollywood Reporter, November 15, 2023, live
• Phillips, T. C., May 31, 2024, "Movies Must Be Seen": Batgirl Movie Directors Address Coyote Vs. Acme's Shelving By Warner Bros., May 31, 2024, ScreenRant, June 2, 2024, live
• Will Forte Sad After Finally Watching 'Coyote vs. Acme': "It's Incredible", Hibberd, James, The Hollywood Reporter, February 29, 2024, February 29, 2024, February 29, 2024, live
• Unreleased Coyote vs. Acme Film Held A "Funeral Screening," Reveals Star, Screen Rant, January 25, 2025, Phillips, TC
• 'Coyote vs Acme' Release Chance Gets Unexpected Positive Outlook from Star, Fink, Richard, MovieWeb, February 16, 2025, February 17, 2025
• Wiseman, Andreas, March 19, 2025, Warner Bros Negotiating Big Sale Of Shelved 'Coyote Vs. Acme' Movie — The Dish, live, March 19, 2025, March 19, 2025, Deadline Hollywood
• Wiseman, Andreas, 2025-05-08, Beep Beep: 'Coyote Vs. Acme' Heads To The Cannes Market With Kinology Aboard For International Sales — Hot Project, 2025-05-08, Deadline Hollywood

External links