The film whose very existence is ironic
The one-sided rivalry between Wile E. Coyote and the Road Runner always ends the same way: with well-laid plans that result in catastrophic failure and disappointment, while the Road Runner scurries away as if nothing had happened.
In “Coyote vs. Acme,” after decades of continued mishaps, the Coyote—already at his wits’ end—resolves to take legal measures and sue Acme Inc. for their faulty products that have gotten in the way of his chase of the Road Runner.
It’s a fairly standard David vs. Goliath flick in the form of the little guy taking on a mega corporation. That is, until you look a little deeper and see how Warner Bros. initially tried canning the film back in 2023. And suddenly, its very existence comes across as pretty ironic.
A David vs. Goliath flick
It doesn’t take a genius to see that Coyote’s failures can mostly be chalked up to either mechanical failure or sheer dumb luck. In fact, without the faulty products of Acme Inc., he would’ve already captured the Road Runner without much difficulty.
“After decades of being blown to bits by bombs, demolished by dynamite, mangled by magnets, battered by boulders, trampled by trains, tricked by tunnels, sprung by springs, steamrolled by steamrollers, maligned by misfires, bedeviled by bungees, rattled by rockets, backstabbed by bat suits, rocked by rocket skates, upended by unicycles, quaked by quake pills, rubberized by rogue bands, and hurled headlong off every cliff in the Southwest, Wile E. Coyote finally fights back,” reads the film’s synopsis.
“Teaming up with billboard accident lawyer Kevin Avery, he takes on slick corporate counsel Buddy Crane and Acme Inc., the profit-obsessed conglomerate behind every one of the Coyote’s chaotic catastrophes.”
The film is directed by Dave Green and stars John Cena, Lana Condor, Will Forte, and P.J. Byrne—with appearances by a few beloved Looney Tunes characters such as Tweety and Bugs Bunny.
Where art imitates life
But Coyote isn’t the only one who got f*cked over by a corporation—which is pretty much the essence of the film itself. Back in 2023, after receiving good test scores from early screenings and slated for a July release coinciding with both “Barbie” and “Oppenheimer,” “Coyote vs. Acme” was taken down and shelved for good.
Why? Warner Bros. reportedly didn’t deem it worth spending between $30 and $ 40 million in marketing, and instead took a tax write-off on the $70 million production. At the time, both “Batgirl” and “Scoob! Holiday Haunt” were also canned alongside “Coyote vs. Acme.”
“With the re-launch of Warner Bros. Pictures Animation in June, the studio has shifted its global strategy to focus on theatrical releases. With this new direction, we have made the difficult decision not to move forward with ‘Coyote vs. Acme.’ We have tremendous respect for the filmmakers, cast, and crew, and are grateful for their contributions to the film,” said a Warner Bros. spokesperson to Deadline in 2023.
And in true conglomerate fashion, producers, cast, and crew were uninformed and blindsided by the announcement.
“For three years, I was lucky enough to make a movie about Wile E. Coyote, the most persistent, passionate, and resilient character of all time. I was surrounded by a brilliant team who poured their souls into this project,” wrote the film’s director, Green, on social media. “I am beyond proud of the final product, and beyond devastated by WB’s decision. But in the spirit of Wile E. Coyote, resilience and persistence win the day.”
“It was everything I wished the movie could have been and more. It was so special, which made it so frustrating and so devastating. The confusion was amped up, then frustration, then just searing anger,” also says Will Forte, who plays Kevin Avery, the lawyer representing Coyote.
From the Warner Bros. backrooms to the red carpet
Following backlash from fans and the production, Warner Bros. reversed their decision later that year and allowed for “Coyote vs. Acme” to be shopped around—with Amazon, Apple, and Netflix being early contenders for the acquisition.
Ketchup Entertainment, known for also releasing “The Day the Earth Blew Up: A Looney Tunes Movie,” later bought the film for around $50 million.
“We’re thrilled to have made a deal with Warner Bros. Pictures to bring this film to audiences worldwide. ‘Coyote Vs. Acme’ 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,” says CEO of Ketchup Entertainment, Gareth West.
“I had given up on it, and I can’t thank these people enough. I always thought this movie was super special, and the support from the community has meant so much,” Forte told The Hollywood Reporter during the film’s Los Angeles premiere.
“We need all the help we can get, and it feels like all these voices, the voices that helped us get the movie into the theaters, are helping spread the word about it being in the theaters. Hopefully people will listen to them and see these positive views and go like, ‘This movie deserves to be seen.’”
After only a weekend in theaters, “Coyote vs. Acme” managed a second-place debut on the domestic box office with around $15 million in ticket sales—behind “Spider-Man: Brand New Day,” which brought in an estimated $22.2 million. And that’s considering that “Coyote vs. Acme” is mainly being screened in the United States, with limited showings internationally.
Now, how about we bring it here and further stick it to Warner?
