Dave Green celebrates Coyote vs. Acme’s theatrical release
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Coyote vs. Acme has now reached cinemas, prompting director Dave Green to celebrate the release as a victory for the filmmakers and audiences who campaigned to save it. He said the film’s eventual theatrical debut demonstrated that completed films need not disappear after being shelved, and that it could finally be experienced as intended.
Warner Bros. had first delayed the planned July 2023 release to accommodate Barbie, then shelved the film in November 2023 for a reported $30 million tax write-off. Ketchup Entertainment acquired it in March 2025 and released it on 28 August 2026; the live-action and animation hybrid follows Wile E. Coyote suing Acme over faulty products, with Will Forte, Lana Condor and John Cena in the cast.
- Coyote vs. Acme has finally opened in cinemas.
- Its director credits audience pressure for saving it.
- Warner Bros. had shelved it for a reported $30m tax write-off.
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Coyote vs. Acme is a comedy that mixes live-action actors with animated characters from the Looney Tunes cartoons. Its story centres on Wile E. Coyote, the character known for repeatedly failing to catch the Road Runner, as he takes legal action against the Acme company over its defective gadgets.
The film was directed by Dave Green and features Will Forte, Lana Condor and John Cena alongside the animated characters. It was originally planned for release in 2023, but Warner Bros. later shelved it, meaning it was not shown publicly despite having been completed.
The decision drew attention because films can sometimes be cancelled or withheld for business reasons after significant work has been done on them. A later sale to Ketchup Entertainment allowed the film to be released in cinemas.
More coverage
- The Hollywood Reporter — ‘Coyote vs. Acme’ Star Will Forte, Director Celebrate Film Finally Hitting Theaters After Being Shelved by Warner Bros.: “Proof Movies Don’t Just Go Away”
- GamesRadar+ — Coyote Vs. Acme unveiled an anvil-shaped popcorn bucket to celebrate the film's long-awaited release, but I get why they only made one
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Originally published by Deadline as “‘Coyote Vs. Acme’ Director Celebrates Film Release, Saying “We Won” & “It’s Proof That Movies Don’t Just Go Away””.