I won't try to confuse you Doc, let's start at the beginning:
Coyote vs Acme was announced as a live-action/CGI hybrid based on a 1990 New Yorker Article back in 2018. The original screenwriters Jon and Josh Silberman(various TV producer credits) were replaced with a writers room consisting of Samy Burch (May December), Jeremy Slater (Moon Knight), and James Gunn(Superman), but ultimately stayed on as co-producers. Brandon Trost (Sonic The Hedgehog 2 and 3) would serve as Cinematographer, using the same Panavision Ultra Vista lenses used in Dune (2021). They finally found a director in Dave Green(Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Out of the Shadows) mid 2019. Then the original producer Chris McKay (Robot Chicken) leaves late 2020 due to the massive creative overhaul.
No matter the setbacks, production lives on! Things go quiet, COVID happens, and then amidst the pandemic we finally get a casting announcement. John Cena (Peacemaker) will play the ACME lawyer defending the massive corporation how he only knows.. with style and charm. Shortly after, Will Forte(Macgruber) and Lana Condor (X-Men: Apocalypse) were announced as the protagonists who will try their hardest to represent Wile E. Coyote against the mecha media conglomerate.
March 2022 saw cameras rolling for principal photography in Wile E.'s hometown of Albuquerque, New Mexico but before they could even finish, Warner Bros removed the film from their release schedule which was originally July 21, 2023! Sounds crazy right? They replaced it with Barbie. I never like to give Zaslav credit but Barbie ended up being the biggest grossing WB movie of all time lol. Seven months later after the removal, Warner Brothers announces that the film is finished.
This is where things turn ugly.. They decide not to release the movie and claim a $30 million tax loss. What's even worse is and none of the crew or actors were informed of this decision until AFTER the movie was finished! Massive backlash ensued once it was revealed that the test screenings were unanimously positive. Even some high profile directors and screenwriters let it be known that this sets a deadly precedent, and they were already hesitant to work with Warner Brothers because of the debacle with Christopher Nolan and the release of Tenet during the pandemic, but that's a story for another time.
Finally they reversed their decision in November 2023 and allowed said filmmakers to shop the movie around. All of the big names passed. We later find out that Warner Brothers was asking for almost $80 million dollars. So it sat on the shelf and collected dust for two more years before Ketchup Entertainment purchased the movie for $50 million. Shortly after, it's announced at San Diego Comic-Con 2025 that Coyote vs Acme has an official release date of August 28, 2026.
What a wild journey for a movie that's literally about kicking the little guy while he's down. As a millennial who had the benefit of growing up with Looney Tunes everywhere in the 90s and Roger Rabbit on VHS, I might have a slight bias towards this movie but for good reason! The heart of this movie is all about never giving up! Everybody fails, but that isn't the end. Always have a goal in sight and give it a 100%! This script isn't afraid to call out corporations taking advantage of high usage users for profits.
Almost every classic Looney Tune character makes an appearance and there's plenty of amazing Easter eggs for fans of the past. While most have limited roles, they're all utilized perfectly. Will Forte was perfectly cast as the burnt out lawyer who's afraid of failing. John Cena unsurprisingly plays a perfect jock type bully to counter Forte, and his comedic timing is perfect as ever (take some notes Dwayne). Lana Condor is fantastic as the wide eyed intern ready to make some real change in this world! The music score was good, not as prominent and integral to the plot like the old cartoons but still engaging. The animation was well polished and top notch. The script is a laugh-a-minute kind of romp that never really lets up until the credits roll. How could I forget Wile E. Coyote.. the star of the movie. He didn't say one word yet he said so much. He's my new favorite spirit animal.
As of writing this: Coyote vs Acme has received an A Cinemascore, a 7.6 IMDB score (.1% behind Who Framed Roger Rabbit), a 96% Critic score and 95% audience score on Rotten Tomatoes, a 75 rating on Metacritic, and a 82% definite recommendation score from audiences on PostTrak. Needless to say this movie is well beloved and Ketchup Entertainment should easily make their investment back.
Coyote vs Acme is exceeding expectations at the box office as well. Over the opening weekend they sold almost as many tickets in Mexico as they did the US and Canada. That's good news because there is also a Speedy Gonzales movie in the works directed by Jorge R. Gutiérrez (The Book of Life) that's practically a guaranteed hit once it comes out. Latin America loves Looney Tunes more than their Abuela! Opening weekend domestic total was $15.9 million whereas the worldwide total was just under $24 million.
That might sound low but it's higher than initial estimates and with an easier September release window after the hype of Spider-Man Brand New Day and The Odyssey, it should easily leg out to a profit. For reference Sheep Detectives debuted with a similar OW and reviews, and it legged out to $66 million domestic and over $130 million worldwide,which has a moderate book fanbase whereas Looney Tunes is almost 100 years old! (April 2030). Add the $20m Ketchup Entertainment made from selling International rights and it's definitely on the right track. The break even is roughly $70-75 million including the international rights sale.
Regardless, people are finally able to see this fantastic movie in the theaters as intended. It's a love letter to Looney Tunes and anyone who was or is a fan NEEDS to see this. Even if you weren't a fan, this is still easily the best comedy of 2026. Do yourself a favor and see it before it's gone! PS: There are no mid or after credit scenes, but there is a small thank you to the fans towards the end credits.
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That's all folks!
Also, I want to just say it's been a fun 15 years on this site. maybe i'll wait another 15 years to write another one lol