The Movie That Warner Bros. Tried to Kill Officially Releases in Theaters in 3 Weeks
Warner Bros.' live-action/animation hybrid Coyote vs. Acme, which the studio previously shelved as a tax write-off, is now officially set to arrive in cinemas in three weeks after a lengthy and much-publicised delay. The film reunites Looney Tunes stalwarts Wile E. Coyote and the Road Runner in a story that shifts away from typical cartoon slapstick towards a courtroom comedy, in which the perpetually unlucky Coyote sues the Acme Corporation for its faulty products.
Directed by Dave Green, with a story credited to Samy Burch, James Gunn and Jeremy Slater, the film stars Will Forte as attorney Kevin Avery, who takes on Wile E. Coyote's case, and John Cena as Buddy Crane, Avery's former boss and the opposing counsel. Confirmed Looney Tunes characters include Bugs Bunny, Daffy Duck, Tweety Bird and Foghorn Leghorn, alongside likely further cameos. It follows in the footsteps of 2003's Looney Tunes: Back in Action, though its more grounded, legal-drama tone marks a clear departure, and it is not expected to serve as a direct sequel.
- Coyote vs. Acme hits theatres in three weeks after Warner Bros. nearly shelved it.
- Wile E. Coyote sues Acme in a courtroom-comedy twist on the classic feud.
- Will Forte and John Cena star alongside classic Looney Tunes characters.
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Coyote vs. Acme is a Warner Bros. film that mixes live-action with animated Looney Tunes characters, most notably Wile E. Coyote and the Road Runner. Rather than the usual cartoon chase gags, it takes the form of a courtroom comedy: Wile E. Coyote sues Acme Corporation over the endless failures of its products. The film gained attention in recent years after Warner Bros. shelved it for tax purposes despite it being complete, prompting public criticism before the studio reversed course and gave it a cinema release.
The cast includes Will Forte as Kevin Avery, the lawyer representing Wile E. Coyote, and John Cena as Buddy Crane, his former boss who now argues the case for Acme. Other familiar Looney Tunes faces such as Bugs Bunny, Daffy Duck, Tweety Bird and Foghorn Leghorn are also expected to appear, alongside further cameos. It is directed by Dave Green and written by Samy Burch, James Gunn and Jeremy Slater.
The film follows 2003's Looney Tunes: Back in Action but takes a notably different, more grounded approach, and is not intended as a direct sequel. Its journey to cinemas has drawn wider interest partly because of the earlier shelving decision, which became a talking point in discussions about how studios handle finished films for financial reasons.