Coyote vs. Acme — Review
Source: Ketchup Entertainment
There has been a lot of talk about Dave Green’s film Coyote vs. Acme over the last few years, after Warner Bros. announced they were shelving the film despite it being completed. Controversy arose when word spread thatWarner Bros. Discovery opted to take a $30 million tax write-off rather than release the film. Following the backlash, the studio decided to allow the filmmakers to shop the film to other distributors. Ketchup Entertainment eventually acquired the rights, and it will now be released in the United States on August 28, 2026. After the long journey to get this film released, I sincerely hope that audiences will show up to see it during its theatrical run. I’m not just saying that because people worked hard on the movie and deserve to have their work seen. That’s true, but also the movie itself is a lot of fun.
Source: Ketchup Entertainment
Based on Ian Frazier’s 1990 The New Yorker magazine article“Coyote v. Acme,” the film follows billboard attorney Kevin Avery (Will Forte) as he becomes Wile E. Coyote’s lawyer in a legal battle against the Acme Corporation. For years, Wile E. Coyote has used countless Acme products in his attempts to catch the Road Runner, only for them to backfire on him—some quite literally. Early in the film, Wile E. Coyote sees a commercial in which Avery asks humorously specific questions like, “Have you ever set a big stack of TNT on the road hoping to blow up your nemesis, but when you pressed the detonator, the detonator itself exploded?” The commercial is accompanied by old Looney Tunes footage showing those exact scenarios playing out for Wile E. Coyote. Not only does this moment establish the film’s comedic tone, but it also infuses the film with an element of nostalgia. Sure, seeing these iconic characters again is inherently nostalgic, but seeing flashbacks of older footage juxtaposed with the new visuals amplifies that feeling. It creates a fun visual contrast between the Looney Tunes we grew up watching and the modern world of the film.
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Speaking of visuals, the animation in Coyote vs. Acme is stunning. The colors are rich and vibrant. The film doesn’t look outdated, but the characters still look like themselves. Unlike some movies that try to modernize beloved animated characters, Coyote vs. Acme understands that these characters don’t need to be reinvented to look good on the big screen. The cartoon characters blend seamlessly into this live-action setting like a modern-day Who Framed Roger Rabbit (1988). In fact, the film is full of classic cartoon character cameos.
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Avery works at Avery, Jones, & Maltese alongside his niece, Paige (Lana Condor), Sal Maltese (Tone Bell), and Dottie Jones (Martha Kelly). The actors do a great job of adding to the film’s humor without being too over-the-top. Their reactions to the cartoon characters feel surprisingly genuine, which helps the absurd moments feel more grounded. John Cena stars as Buddy Crane, Acme’s lawyer. He’s the closest any of the human characters gets to feeling cartoonish. Cena is allowed to be a little more exaggerated than the other actors, as Buddy has a larger-than-life persona, which fits perfectly with the film’s cartoon logic and Acme’s monopoly.
Source: Ketchup Entertainment
In addition to being nostalgic, Coyote vs. Acme boasts a clever premise. Frazier’s original article and Samy Burch’s screenplay deconstruct the classic Wile E. Coyote and Road Runner dynamic by taking all of the ridiculous things that have happened to Wile E. Coyote over the years and turning them into a legitimate legal case against Acme. In the process, it uses the fictional Acme to poke fun at real-life corporations that monopolize industries and face little accountability for their actions. The film also explicitly references Sisyphus, acknowledging that Wile E. Coyote has often been perceived as a modern-day Sisyphus. He chases after the Road Runner, devises elaborate traps to catch him, and winds up getting hurt every single time. Yet he keeps pursuing the Road Runner anyway. Burch’s screenplay also manages to add some surprisingly heartfelt moments, giving Wile E. Coyote an emotional arc that you might not expect from a character best known for getting blown up.
Not all of the jokes are going to land for everyone. The blend of live action and animation makes the film feel closer to Space Jam (1996) than to a traditional Looney Tunes cartoon, so some viewers might wish it had a more anarchic energy. However, the film is brimming with delightful visual gags. Nearly every time Wile E. Coyote held up a sign, it got a laugh out of me. The music also adds to the film’s energy. Steven Price’s score is so much fun. It incorporates familiar Looney Tunes melodies with more modern beats and even interpolates some of Road Runner’s signature “beep beep” into the mix.
Source: Ketchup Entertainment
After everything Coyote vs. Acme went through to finally make it to theaters, I’m glad audiences will finally have the opportunity to see it. This film will likely appeal more to Looney Tunes fans, but it’s funny enough to work for newcomers as well. It may feel a little more toned down than a traditional Looney Tunes cartoon, but it still captures the spirit of these beloved characters while bringing something new to the table. It has a creative premise, funny visual gags and moments of physical comedy, colorful animation, and a warm, uplifting sense of nostalgia. It also doesn’t try too hard to feel modern. Instead, it understands that these characters are already timeless and don’t need to be reinvented to work for a contemporary audience. After everything this film went through, I sincerely hope audiences show up for it.
Coyote vs. Acme will be released theatrically on August 28, 2026. Early access showtimes will take place on August 23, 2026.
