Coyote vs. Acme gets a summer 2026 theatrical release date
David Zaslav may be hellbent on erasing the iconic Looney Tunes properties at Warner Bros. (including removing the classic Merry Melodies shorts from the Max streaming service and demolishing the Looney Tunes building), but Ketchup Entertainment here to save the day. They released the Looney Tunes movie, The Day the Earth Blew Up, and recently acquired Coyote vs. Acme, which was once destined to be scrapped for a tax write-off, like Batgirl and other projects that Warner Bros. threw in the trash. Ketchup previously let it be known that they’ll be giving Coyote vs. Acme a theatrical release sometime in 2026, and now more information has been revealed at a San Diego Comic-Con panel – including the fact that the movie’s release is still over a year away! The official global release date is August 28, 2026.
Directed by Dave Green from a screenplay by Samy Burch (who crafted the story with James Gunn and Jeremy Slater), Coyote vs. Acme features Will Forte playing a down-on-his-luck attorney who takes on Wile E. Coyote as a client in a suit against the ACME Corporation over its defective products, only to discover that his boss (John Cena) at his former law firm is representing ACME, but the growing friendship between Wile E. and his lawyer only fuels their desire to win the case. Despite positive feedback from test audiences, Warner’s management decided to axe Coyote vs. Acme alongside other promising projects. In 2024, WB tried to sell Coyote vs. Acme for roughly $70M, but no parties were yet interested… and then came Ketchup Entertainment.
The CEO of Ketchup Entertainment, Garth West, made a statement after the deal went through: “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.“
JoBlo’s own Chris Bumbray was in attendance for the Comic-Con panel and reports that the panel was hosted by Paul Scheer. Even though the release is still over a year away, they wanted Coyote vs. Acme to have a presence at Comic-Con this year to celebrate the fact that it’s going to come out at all. The film’s premise is that all of Coyote’s injuries are the fault of Acme, and during throughout the panel they were they pretending Acme had sued to keep the movie from coming out. Scheer said, “I’ve never heard of Warner Bros. Do they ever make movies?” The only reason this film is coming back is due to the fans. “This never happens… unless you are Zack Snyder.”
Attendees saw a scene scored by Johnny Cash’s version of Hurt showing classic footage of all the ways Coyote was injured by faulty Acme products in his pursuit of Road Runner. As Coyote broods, he sees a sleazy lawyer on TV – Avery Jones, played by Will Arnett, who he decides to hire.
Forte said, “You think back to the journey this movie has taken. I had more or less given up hope. Wile E. Coyote never gives up, and the audience is like Wile E. Coyote, as they never gave up.”
An “Acme” lawyer (PJ Byrne – playing his character from the movie) showed up and served a cease and desist. Scheer led the audience in a call and answer – “ACME GET OUT!”
In addition to Forte, the panel included Dave Green (the director), Eric Bauza (the voice of all the animated characters), and Martha Kelly. Green said that Wile E. Coyote has gone through 80 years of torture and has had enough. In the movie, Acme is the largest corporation in the world. Bauza said this movie was made without any AI or basketball players (nod to Space Jam). The Looney Tunes is this movie are more like they were in the short films in the 40s as they were never intended for the Saturday morning block. “I always wanted to see a Looney Tunes movie with legal drama.” Kelly was always bummed out by how Coyote always got hurt and hated the Road Runner. She’s also bought stuff off Temu that fails like Acme stuff, so she feels like Wile E. Coyote.
The movie adheres to Chuck Jones’ 9 rules to animating Road Runner and Wile E Coyote. Even the setting (Albuquerque) is part of his rule about the action being limited to the American Southwest. Neither Coyote nor Road Runner ever speak (other than BEEP BEEP).
For acting, Will Forte acted alongside a Wild E. Coyote puppet for the rehearsal and first takes, then he would be taken out and replaced by a tennis ball for the VFX.
John Cena is Acme’s slick lawyer. In a scene shown to attendees, Forte tries to demonstrate how Acme products are defective and hurts Acme, just like would happen with Road Runner. Attendees also got to see Will Forte taking a call from Bugs Bunny… and then the film’s trailer, which will hopefully be dropping online soon.
In the end, Acme succeeded in shutting down the panel.
Are you looking forward to Coyote vs. Acme? What do you think of the release date being so far off? Let us know by leaving a comment below.
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