September 5, 2026
FILM: COYOTE VS. ACME
DIRECTED BY: DAVE GREEN
WRITTEN BY: SAMY BURCH, JAMES GUNN, JEREMY SLATER
STARRING: WILL FORTE, LANA CONDOR, JOHN CENA
RATING: 3 ½ out of 4 stars
By Dan Pal
The story surrounding this film is as interesting as the film itself. Based on a satirical piece in The New Yorker in 1990, Coyote vs. Acme was being developed as a project for decades. Director Dave Green became part of it in 2019. Actors Will Forte and John Cena were finalized as main cast members in 2022 which is when production took place in Albuquerque, New Mexico. Then all hell broke loose. Warner Bros. Discovery CEO David Zaslav decided that, since the merged companies were in debt, if they shelved the $70 million film and claimed a $30 million tax write-down, they’d save the marketing and distribution costs. Of course, this would mean that no one would see the film. The people involved with making it were rightfully steaming over this. They even held a “funeral” screening for it. After other protests and a public campaign to release the film, Warner Bros. changed directions and decided to put Coyote vs. Acme up for sale. It was bought by Ketchup Entertainment for distribution for $50 million. In August, four years after production, the film was finally released. It has grossed over $27 million worldwide so far and has generated great critical acclaim. Phew!
My take on the film is that it is very entertaining and at times quite funny – especially if you know the Looney Tunes cartoons. I was one of those kids that loved watching such short films as they were telecast on Saturday mornings or part of WGN-TV’s morning Ray Rayner Show. Watching Coyote vs. Acme I realized I forgot how many characters were part of this universe. Fortunately, many of them make cameos or have small “roles” in the film, including Porky Pig, Tweety Bird, Elmer Fudd, and, of course, Bugs Bunny. The true cartoon “stars” of the film though are Wile E. Coyote and Roadrunner. They are joined in the real world by Will Forte as prosecuting attorney Kevin Avery whom Coyote seeks out to bring down the Acme Corporation, headed by John Cena as Buddy Crane.
The premise of the film and the bringing together of live action and cartoon characters is pretty brilliant. True, it’s been done before in films such as Mary Poppins (1964) and Who Framed Roger Rabbit (1988) but there’s something fresh and alive about Coyote vs. Acme. Maybe it’s just that many of us of a certain age haven’t been as entertained by animated since, well, the original Looney Tunes (and Hanna-Barbera shows, Disney, etc.) These characters speak to our childhood and the type of humor we grew up with.
It’s also great the way the film brings in the basic premise of the Coyote/Road Runner shorts: The former is constantly trying to catch the latter but never seems to reach his goal. The reason is suggested by the new film: Acme made a lot of defective products such as rocket-powered skates, explosives, and dehydrated boulders. All of these should be familiar to anyone who has seen the original films and Coyote vs. Acme really plays it all up with cartoon-like stunts and action sequences.
While Coyote doesn’t talk, he does show signs to Forte’s Kevin Avery as we’d see in interactions with Roadrunner. Forte does a great job interacting with the cartoon character. He initially comes across as frustrated, timid and pretty straight-laced but eventually he goes full force in his mission against his own rival Buddy Crane. John Cena has a great time playing the corporate villain. This is, after all, a story which criticizes big business greed and its lack of concern for the lower rungs of society. Interestingly, Coyote and the other cartoon characters come across as minorities within a predominantly white society. They’re recognized as being part of a cartoon world but have the ability to co-exist in the real world. Kevin is, in fact, a small-time lawyer who defends anything cartoon-related. Apparently, they are often used as guinea pigs for corporate products.
There is definitely a cartoon-like element to the direction of the narrative. At one point, characters run from an approaching train and there is a very Looney Tunes style action climax. Of course, one of the other delights is the inclusion of scenes from many of the original Coyote/Road Runner shorts. They probably elicit the greatest laughs from older generations.
So, why would Warner Bros. want to shelve such an effective project? Maybe there was a fear that it wouldn’t appeal enough to kids. These are long ago created characters and much of the film is about the legal battle between Wile E. Coyote and Acme. It’s also probably not as generally humorous to those unfamiliar with the characters and situations. Even actor Peter Lorre, who died in 1964, is a relevant character in this story. It also is sentimental, which might be a turn off for those wanting only action scenes and wacky comedy. Coyote is developed as a character more than ever before. It’s also a film about dedication and perseverance. This isn’t to say it’s an overly “heady” experience but it does go deeper than a lot of American animated films do.
Maybe the issue which prevented us from seeing the film for so long boils down to one thing: greed. Like Acme, Warner Bros. was attempting to protect its financial status. In the end, real people win out.
Coyote vs. Acme is currently playing in theaters everywhere.
FILM: COYOTE VS. ACME
DIRECTED BY: DAVE GREEN
WRITTEN BY: SAMY BURCH, JAMES GUNN, JEREMY SLATER
STARRING: WILL FORTE, LANA CONDOR, JOHN CENA
RATING: 3 ½ out of 4 stars
By Dan Pal
The story surrounding this film is as interesting as the film itself. Based on a satirical piece in The New Yorker in 1990, Coyote vs. Acme was being developed as a project for decades. Director Dave Green became part of it in 2019. Actors Will Forte and John Cena were finalized as main cast members in 2022 which is when production took place in Albuquerque, New Mexico. Then all hell broke loose. Warner Bros. Discovery CEO David Zaslav decided that, since the merged companies were in debt, if they shelved the $70 million film and claimed a $30 million tax write-down, they’d save the marketing and distribution costs. Of course, this would mean that no one would see the film. The people involved with making it were rightfully steaming over this. They even held a “funeral” screening for it. After other protests and a public campaign to release the film, Warner Bros. changed directions and decided to put Coyote vs. Acme up for sale. It was bought by Ketchup Entertainment for distribution for $50 million. In August, four years after production, the film was finally released. It has grossed over $27 million worldwide so far and has generated great critical acclaim. Phew!
My take on the film is that it is very entertaining and at times quite funny – especially if you know the Looney Tunes cartoons. I was one of those kids that loved watching such short films as they were telecast on Saturday mornings or part of WGN-TV’s morning Ray Rayner Show. Watching Coyote vs. Acme I realized I forgot how many characters were part of this universe. Fortunately, many of them make cameos or have small “roles” in the film, including Porky Pig, Tweety Bird, Elmer Fudd, and, of course, Bugs Bunny. The true cartoon “stars” of the film though are Wile E. Coyote and Roadrunner. They are joined in the real world by Will Forte as prosecuting attorney Kevin Avery whom Coyote seeks out to bring down the Acme Corporation, headed by John Cena as Buddy Crane.
The premise of the film and the bringing together of live action and cartoon characters is pretty brilliant. True, it’s been done before in films such as Mary Poppins (1964) and Who Framed Roger Rabbit (1988) but there’s something fresh and alive about Coyote vs. Acme. Maybe it’s just that many of us of a certain age haven’t been as entertained by animated since, well, the original Looney Tunes (and Hanna-Barbera shows, Disney, etc.) These characters speak to our childhood and the type of humor we grew up with.
It’s also great the way the film brings in the basic premise of the Coyote/Road Runner shorts: The former is constantly trying to catch the latter but never seems to reach his goal. The reason is suggested by the new film: Acme made a lot of defective products such as rocket-powered skates, explosives, and dehydrated boulders. All of these should be familiar to anyone who has seen the original films and Coyote vs. Acme really plays it all up with cartoon-like stunts and action sequences.
While Coyote doesn’t talk, he does show signs to Forte’s Kevin Avery as we’d see in interactions with Roadrunner. Forte does a great job interacting with the cartoon character. He initially comes across as frustrated, timid and pretty straight-laced but eventually he goes full force in his mission against his own rival Buddy Crane. John Cena has a great time playing the corporate villain. This is, after all, a story which criticizes big business greed and its lack of concern for the lower rungs of society. Interestingly, Coyote and the other cartoon characters come across as minorities within a predominantly white society. They’re recognized as being part of a cartoon world but have the ability to co-exist in the real world. Kevin is, in fact, a small-time lawyer who defends anything cartoon-related. Apparently, they are often used as guinea pigs for corporate products.
There is definitely a cartoon-like element to the direction of the narrative. At one point, characters run from an approaching train and there is a very Looney Tunes style action climax. Of course, one of the other delights is the inclusion of scenes from many of the original Coyote/Road Runner shorts. They probably elicit the greatest laughs from older generations.
So, why would Warner Bros. want to shelve such an effective project? Maybe there was a fear that it wouldn’t appeal enough to kids. These are long ago created characters and much of the film is about the legal battle between Wile E. Coyote and Acme. It’s also probably not as generally humorous to those unfamiliar with the characters and situations. Even actor Peter Lorre, who died in 1964, is a relevant character in this story. It also is sentimental, which might be a turn off for those wanting only action scenes and wacky comedy. Coyote is developed as a character more than ever before. It’s also a film about dedication and perseverance. This isn’t to say it’s an overly “heady” experience but it does go deeper than a lot of American animated films do.
Maybe the issue which prevented us from seeing the film for so long boils down to one thing: greed. Like Acme, Warner Bros. was attempting to protect its financial status. In the end, real people win out.
Coyote vs. Acme is currently playing in theaters everywhere.