Coyote vs. Acme (2026)
In 2023, so they could take a $30 million tax loss, Warner Bros. Entertainment announced that they would not release Dave Green's Coyote vs. Acme despite the film already being completed. This came after similar decisions with other nearly completed projects, including Adil El Arbi and Bilall Fallah's Batgirl and Michael Kurinsky and Bill Haller's Scoob! Holiday Hunt, were also announced. For many, this anti-art process of scrapping completed works drew outrage, but in reality the issue went far deeper. CEO and President of Warner Bros. Discovery, David Zaslav, had made many unpopular decisions that had been cited as anti-art, with the Looney Tunes being anything but safe even before the Coyote vs. Acme saga. Over multiple years, classic Looney Tunes content had been scrubbed from Warner Bros.' streaming service, HBO Max, and other releases like Pete Browngardt's The Day the Earth Blew Up were put in limbo due to restructuring. This frustration created the perfect volcano for mass outrage, with many fighting for years to see the release of Coyote vs. Acme. Thankfully, after all the effort from fans, Ketchup Entertainment, who also bought the North American rights for The Day the Earth Blew Up, managed to step in and secure the sale, saving Coyote vs. Acme and finally giving it a proper theatrical release a whopping 3-years after it was originally scheduled to come out.
Bringing the madness of Wile E. Coyote and Road Runner to the real world, Coyote vs. Acme sees Coyote team up with an attorney named Kevin (Will Forte) to sue the Acme company when he realizes that his consistent failure to capture the Road Runner is because of their products malfunctioning. As the case grows, Coyote decides that this is a perfect opportunity to get the Road Runner close if he is called as a witness, giving Coyote the perfect chance to finally catch the bird. On the sidelines of his grand scheme, Kevin feels the effects of the case spiraling out of control as Acme's defense, led by lawyer Buddy Crane (John Cena), works to dismantle everything Kevin has built.
At its base, Coyote vs Acme continues an ongoing legacy of cinematically bringing cartoon characters to the real world. While some of the concept's most celebrated inclusions have used this medium-blending idea for lighter entertainment, such as Robert Zemeckis' Who Framed Roger Rabbit and Joe Pytka's Space Jam, the concept has evolved, with many realizing the opportunity it provides in narrative. Films like Akiva Schaffer's Chip 'n Dale: Rescue Rangers would not only take cartoon iconography and bring it to a live-action space, but also would put its cartoon characters into a more mature and defined story than the short comedy they were designed for. This revolution against narrative expectations not only led to an even greater sense of absurd entertainment, as cartoons suddenly became the main players of layered character studies and developed crime thrillers, but also opened the door for unique recontextualization of their cartoonish identities, opening the door for poignant reflections. This is a concept immediately felt within Coyote vs. Acme and the characterization of Wile E. Coyote.
Rather than having a handful of minutes of slapstick torture put upon him and immediately cutting to credits, Coyote vs. Acme continues to follow Coyote after his scheme to capture the Road Runner fails. The film builds a look at the character that is depressing and tragic, looking at his decades of failure that have left him alone, sad, and still hungry for a meal. When, by chance, Coyote catches Kevin's ad promising financial revenge for Acme's failures, it gives Coyote a new spark. For the first time, his decades of failure can be seen as the result of someone else, rather than his own incompetence. Coyote dives headfirst into the case, trying his best to get as many eyes on it as possible.
Along the way, the film's colorful cast of characters pop up with comedic knockouts like Forte and Cena delivering massively. Samy Burch's screenplay is smart in balancing the film's various identities, playing into the Looney Tunes wit without ever downplaying the film's inner emotional workings. This is especially impressive in segments such as the film's extended court case sequences, where the film both has to be a courtroom drama that can be followed for plot purposes while also having hectic cartoon chaos to keep things entertaining. While nothing here is as creative as the humor of Chip 'n Dale: Rescue Rangers, the results are still enjoyable, and the film tonally remains consistent.
On a technical level, the film is equally impressive. The blending of live-action characters and worlds with animated versions is as impressive as ever, with thoughtful plays on lighting and texture. Everything feels smooth, with both mediums existing together in a way that feels organic and natural. For a film that is trying to have an elevated level of storytelling with this gimmick, this is one of the most important places to stick the landing, and Coyote vs. Acme is a perfect showcase of how this can be done. Had this mixing of mediums felt awkward or off, there would be no base for the film to play on top of.
Sadly, despite the strong foundation, the one major screenplay blip is in the follow-through of Coyote's characterization. The film does such a good job with the set-up for the character that the refusal to let his story play out and evolve until the film's closing moments feels quite questionable. While it at first seems like the character has become self-aware as a result of the court case, his true plans regarding capturing the Road Runner are revealed, and it becomes clear that the apparent evolution of the character was a farce. While Kevin tries to get him to wake up to the weight of the situation they find themselves in, Coyote continually refuses in a way that feels reductive to the film around him. It feels like the feature is afraid to truly push the character into a new realm of identity beyond his classic self, but films like Chip 'n Dale: Rescue Rangers proved just how effective this choice can be, and the actual narrative of Coyote vs. Acme is begging for this journey of self-discovery to reach its full potential. By the time the film finally does cross this line, it feels like the results are too little, too late, with the window for a potential grand catharsis being missed. While the emotions land on a core level, it is clear that there was so much more this film could have embraced regarding analyzing self-worth and motivation.
While the main players all impress, it is also hard to say that many of the supporting acts are quite as strong. Lana Condor plays Kevin's niece and intern at the firm, Paige, and is one of the most important forces of optimism for the film. As Kevin loses hope in the face of Acme's overwhelming power, Paige remains dedicated to her belief that with enough work, there is a way for them to find justice and win the case. Condor tries, but is unable to feel captivating enough to be this undeniable force, often feeling shoved to the side and somewhat forgettable. There are a handful of other Looney Tunes characters who make appearances, but few feel like anything more than lackluster cameos. With many, it is suggested that there is a deeper momentum growing against Acme as a mysterious force, giving Kevin and his firm clues that point them in the right direction of where to look and who to ask. This narrative beat ends up fading rather quickly, never realizing the promise of something substantial.
In many ways, Coyote vs. Acme feels like a film that pulls its punches in the worst of ways. While the basic outline of something special is here, and the film remains overall entertaining, it is hard to look at the film and see a full realization of the creativity, emotional arc, and venom that the film initially promises. While no one was expecting the film to have the deepest perspective or most moving statements of the year, there have been examples of similar films that have accomplished far more than Coyote vs. Acme ends up delivering, and the core of a more substantial feature is obviously alive within the film, trying to get out. Still, especially for families, the film is an easy recommendation, and will do the job of being a fun Looney Tunes adventure with a bit more to it than your average short-form comedic fight between its iconic characters
Bringing the madness of Wile E. Coyote and Road Runner to the real world, Coyote vs. Acme sees Coyote team up with an attorney named Kevin (Will Forte) to sue the Acme company when he realizes that his consistent failure to capture the Road Runner is because of their products malfunctioning. As the case grows, Coyote decides that this is a perfect opportunity to get the Road Runner close if he is called as a witness, giving Coyote the perfect chance to finally catch the bird. On the sidelines of his grand scheme, Kevin feels the effects of the case spiraling out of control as Acme's defense, led by lawyer Buddy Crane (John Cena), works to dismantle everything Kevin has built.
At its base, Coyote vs Acme continues an ongoing legacy of cinematically bringing cartoon characters to the real world. While some of the concept's most celebrated inclusions have used this medium-blending idea for lighter entertainment, such as Robert Zemeckis' Who Framed Roger Rabbit and Joe Pytka's Space Jam, the concept has evolved, with many realizing the opportunity it provides in narrative. Films like Akiva Schaffer's Chip 'n Dale: Rescue Rangers would not only take cartoon iconography and bring it to a live-action space, but also would put its cartoon characters into a more mature and defined story than the short comedy they were designed for. This revolution against narrative expectations not only led to an even greater sense of absurd entertainment, as cartoons suddenly became the main players of layered character studies and developed crime thrillers, but also opened the door for unique recontextualization of their cartoonish identities, opening the door for poignant reflections. This is a concept immediately felt within Coyote vs. Acme and the characterization of Wile E. Coyote.
Rather than having a handful of minutes of slapstick torture put upon him and immediately cutting to credits, Coyote vs. Acme continues to follow Coyote after his scheme to capture the Road Runner fails. The film builds a look at the character that is depressing and tragic, looking at his decades of failure that have left him alone, sad, and still hungry for a meal. When, by chance, Coyote catches Kevin's ad promising financial revenge for Acme's failures, it gives Coyote a new spark. For the first time, his decades of failure can be seen as the result of someone else, rather than his own incompetence. Coyote dives headfirst into the case, trying his best to get as many eyes on it as possible.
Along the way, the film's colorful cast of characters pop up with comedic knockouts like Forte and Cena delivering massively. Samy Burch's screenplay is smart in balancing the film's various identities, playing into the Looney Tunes wit without ever downplaying the film's inner emotional workings. This is especially impressive in segments such as the film's extended court case sequences, where the film both has to be a courtroom drama that can be followed for plot purposes while also having hectic cartoon chaos to keep things entertaining. While nothing here is as creative as the humor of Chip 'n Dale: Rescue Rangers, the results are still enjoyable, and the film tonally remains consistent.
On a technical level, the film is equally impressive. The blending of live-action characters and worlds with animated versions is as impressive as ever, with thoughtful plays on lighting and texture. Everything feels smooth, with both mediums existing together in a way that feels organic and natural. For a film that is trying to have an elevated level of storytelling with this gimmick, this is one of the most important places to stick the landing, and Coyote vs. Acme is a perfect showcase of how this can be done. Had this mixing of mediums felt awkward or off, there would be no base for the film to play on top of.
Sadly, despite the strong foundation, the one major screenplay blip is in the follow-through of Coyote's characterization. The film does such a good job with the set-up for the character that the refusal to let his story play out and evolve until the film's closing moments feels quite questionable. While it at first seems like the character has become self-aware as a result of the court case, his true plans regarding capturing the Road Runner are revealed, and it becomes clear that the apparent evolution of the character was a farce. While Kevin tries to get him to wake up to the weight of the situation they find themselves in, Coyote continually refuses in a way that feels reductive to the film around him. It feels like the feature is afraid to truly push the character into a new realm of identity beyond his classic self, but films like Chip 'n Dale: Rescue Rangers proved just how effective this choice can be, and the actual narrative of Coyote vs. Acme is begging for this journey of self-discovery to reach its full potential. By the time the film finally does cross this line, it feels like the results are too little, too late, with the window for a potential grand catharsis being missed. While the emotions land on a core level, it is clear that there was so much more this film could have embraced regarding analyzing self-worth and motivation.
While the main players all impress, it is also hard to say that many of the supporting acts are quite as strong. Lana Condor plays Kevin's niece and intern at the firm, Paige, and is one of the most important forces of optimism for the film. As Kevin loses hope in the face of Acme's overwhelming power, Paige remains dedicated to her belief that with enough work, there is a way for them to find justice and win the case. Condor tries, but is unable to feel captivating enough to be this undeniable force, often feeling shoved to the side and somewhat forgettable. There are a handful of other Looney Tunes characters who make appearances, but few feel like anything more than lackluster cameos. With many, it is suggested that there is a deeper momentum growing against Acme as a mysterious force, giving Kevin and his firm clues that point them in the right direction of where to look and who to ask. This narrative beat ends up fading rather quickly, never realizing the promise of something substantial.
In many ways, Coyote vs. Acme feels like a film that pulls its punches in the worst of ways. While the basic outline of something special is here, and the film remains overall entertaining, it is hard to look at the film and see a full realization of the creativity, emotional arc, and venom that the film initially promises. While no one was expecting the film to have the deepest perspective or most moving statements of the year, there have been examples of similar films that have accomplished far more than Coyote vs. Acme ends up delivering, and the core of a more substantial feature is obviously alive within the film, trying to get out. Still, especially for families, the film is an easy recommendation, and will do the job of being a fun Looney Tunes adventure with a bit more to it than your average short-form comedic fight between its iconic characters