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‘Coyote vs. Acme’ Is Finally Getting the Premiere It Deserves [Exclusive]
"Coyote vs. Acme," the animated Warner Bros. film that was nearly shelved for a tax write-off in 2023 before public backlash led to its rescue by distributor Ketchup Entertainment, is set to receive a special early world premiere screening at San Diego Comic-Con. The move gives fans a first public viewing a full month before its wide theatrical release, capping the film's unusual journey from cancellation to cinema.
The screening will take place on Saturday 25 July at the AMC Mission Valley 20 in San Diego, featuring an introduction from director Dave Green and star Lana Condor. Tickets are not for sale but will be distributed via a lottery through the SDCC Online Exclusives Portal, with a standby line also available for those who miss out. The film will then open nationwide in theatres on 28 August.
In short
- "Coyote vs. Acme" gets early world premiere at San Diego Comic-Con
- Screening set for 25 July, with Dave Green and Lana Condor attending
- Wide nationwide theatrical release follows on 28 August
Explained simply
"Coyote vs. Acme" is an animated film based on the Looney Tunes characters from classic cartoons, particularly the Road Runner and the Coyote who chases him. Warner Bros. developed this feature-length film as a new take on characters that have been popular with audiences for generations.
In 2023, Warner Bros. made the unusual decision to cancel the film and write it off as a tax loss, shelving it rather than releasing it to audiences. However, this decision sparked significant public backlash, with fans and industry figures arguing that a completed film deserved a theatrical release instead of being buried for financial purposes.
Following the outcry, the studio reversed course and sold the film's distribution rights to Ketchup Entertainment, a smaller independent distributor. The reversal highlighted tensions between corporate financial strategies and audience sentiment, as well as ongoing questions about how studios value their creative work once it is finished.