After being shelved by Warner Bros. in late 2023, the animated and live-action hybrid film Coyote vs. Acme is now slated for a theatrical release on August 28. The movie, directed by Dave Green with a story by Samy Burch, James Gunn, and Jeremy Slater, faced an uncertain future when Warner Bros. initially decided to take a tax write-off on several completed films.
This decision, which also affected Batgirl and Scoob! Holiday Haunt, was met with significant opposition from those involved in the production of Coyote vs. Acme. Warner Bros. reportedly attempted to sell the film to other studios, including Netflix and Sony Pictures, but a distribution deal was eventually struck with Ketchup Entertainment, a company known for distributing The Day the Earth Blew Up: A Looney Tunes Movie.
The plot of Coyote vs. Acme centers on Wile E. Coyote's perpetual frustration with his inability to catch the Road Runner. This failure is attributed to the unreliable products purchased from the Acme Corporation. In response, Wile E. decides to sue Acme, enlisting the help of a human attorney, Kevin Avery, played by Will Forte. Their legal battle pits them against Buddy Crane, Kevin's former boss, portrayed by John Cena.
The film is expected to feature several iconic Looney Tunes characters, including Bugs Bunny, Daffy Duck, Tweety Bird, and Foghorn Leghorn, with the possibility of additional cameos. While the premise involves a Looney Tunes character taking on the Acme Corporation, a concept previously explored in the 2003 film Looney Tunes: Back in Action, Coyote vs. Acme appears to adopt a more grounded courtroom drama approach rather than the spy-comedy elements of its predecessor. It is not considered a direct sequel to Back in Action due to significant differences in tone and setting.
Coyote vs. Acme has a runtime of 103 minutes. Its eventual release comes after a period where the film's fate was in doubt, with Warner Bros. initially choosing to forgo its theatrical or streaming debut to pursue a tax write-off.