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Coyote vs. Acme, the long-gestating hybrid of live action and animation built around the classic Looney Tunes rivalry between Wile E. Coyote and the Road Runner, has finally reached cinemas and opened to glowing reviews, holding a Tomatometer score of 96 per cent from more than 100 critics on Rotten Tomatoes. The film reimagines the perpetually thwarted Coyote as a litigant rather than a predator: having endured decades of exploding gadgets, collapsing tunnels and other misfiring contraptions supplied by the ACME corporation, he enlists a personal-injury lawyer, played by Will Forte, to sue the company, while John Cena appears as the smooth corporate attorney sent to defend it. Directed by Dave Green, the picture also features Lana Condor and blends CGI character work with a human cast, and is now playing in UK and US cinemas.

The warm reception is notable chiefly because the film very nearly never reached audiences at all. Warner Bros. had completed production but opted in 2023 not to release it, citing a broader change of direction at the studio; a spokesperson said that following the relaunch of Warner Bros. Pictures Animation, the company was refocusing on theatrical projects and had reluctantly decided not to proceed with the release, while thanking the cast and crew for their work. Trade reporting indicated the studio had also been considering writing the roughly $30 million production off for tax purposes rather than releasing it, a practice that would have kept the finished film from ever being shown.

That prospect provoked a sharp backlash from within the film industry. Directors including Scott Derrickson and Brian Duffield publicly criticised the decision on social media, arguing it was wrong to bury a completed film, particularly one that had reportedly performed well with test audiences. Commentators also linked the move to earlier decisions by the studio to shelve the finished Batgirl and to cancel Scoob! Holiday Haunt, framing it as part of a pattern that left filmmakers uncertain whether their work would ever be seen. Director Dave Green spoke of his own distress at the time, describing three years spent trying to honour the Looney Tunes characters faithfully and expressing pride in the finished film despite the studio's choice.

Facing this pressure, Warner Bros. reversed course, opting to make the film available to other distributors rather than shelve it permanently, which ultimately paved the way for its cinema release. The two accounts of the story differ mainly in focus: coverage of the backlash concentrates on the studio politics, the tax write-off strategy and the reactions of filmmakers, treating the release as a vindication for the creative team, whereas listings-based coverage centres on the finished product itself, detailing its cast, comic premise and its strong critical scores. Beyond that emphasis, the two summaries broadly agree on the sequence of events, from the shelving decision to the eventual theatrical debut.

Where outlets differ

One source (TheWrap-style report) focuses on the behind-the-scenes controversy — the studio's tax write-off plan, industry backlash from directors, comparisons to Batgirl and Scoob! Holiday Haunt, and the director's public statements — while barely touching on critical reception.

The other source (Rotten Tomatoes listing) focuses purely on the finished film: plot synopsis, cast, running time and its 96% critics' score, with no mention of the shelving controversy or industry reaction.

Only the backstory-focused source specifies the reported $30 million tax write-off figure and names critics of the decision (Scott Derrickson, Brian Duffield) and quotes director Dave Green directly.

Only the listings-based source gives concrete release details (in cinemas from 28 August) and full critical scoring data.

• www.rottentomatoes.com
• www.thewrap.com