REVIEW: “Coyote vs. Acme” (2026)

(Source: IMDb) 

Back in 2023, Warner Bros. made controversial headlines when they announced that three of their current and complete (or nearly completed) films would be shelved as tax write-offs. Two of them were a live-action take on Batgirl and an animated Scooby-Doo, respectively. The third was a live-action/animated Looney Tunes comedy based on a New York Times article, centered on the ever-popular Wile E. Coyote suing the Acme Corporation for the numerous faulty products he’s bought in his endless pursuit of the equally famous Road Runner. Ironically, Coyote vs. Acme tested really well with audiences. So imagine everyone’s shock—including the cast and crew—when the studio that was partly built on these iconic characters decided at the last minute to not release it. 

Enter Ketchup Entertainment, who bought the film rights to another feature-length Looney Tunes comedy—the Daffy Duck-/Porky Pig-starring The Day the Earth Blew Up—which released in early 2025. The hand-drawn adventure’s acclaim and box-office intake did so well, that Ketchup eventually purchased the rights to release Coyote vs. Acme the following year. 

In retrospect, the film’s meta commentary on studios and corporations (including marketing) is even more relevant and striking, given the circumstances that led to where we are now. And that’s clearly evident from the first trailer, which is a laugh riot. Furthermore, Coyote vs. Acme marks the last official credit for the now-debunked Warner Animation Group division. (The newly-formed Warner Bros. Pictures Animation will be releasing their inaugural feature, The Cat in the Hat, this November.) I will say, though, hearing the iconic “Warner Bros. Family Entertainment” fanfare during the opening credits made me happy. 

I had hoped to see another live-action/animated hybrid movie like this again à la Who Framed Roger Rabbit sans the gratuitous elements from that unforgettable flick that couldn’t be done today. As such, it’s a thorough delight seeing human beings and cartoon characters co-existing in the real world, even though some of the animation is a little uncanny. Even so, this stands as a key example of how to translate these cartoon characters into a live-action setting while retaining their iconic looks and traits. (Take a note, future filmmakers and artists.) Plus, watching Wile E. and the Road Runner doing their thing in the Albuquerque, New Mexico, desert is nostalgic and hilarious—and takes the sound design and world building to a whole other level. 

Along with a cast led by Will Forte, Lana Condor, and John Cena, various Looney Tunes (including Daffy Duck, Tweety Bird and, in a Deep Throat parody, Bugs Bunny) make clever cameo appearances. Similar to Roger Rabbit, the narrative has moments in the guise of a mystery-thriller, including evidence that the eponymous Acme would rather the public didn’t know about (sound familiar?), while simultaneously being a parallel to the Looney Tunes’ history. Not to mention a laugh-a-minute comedy with numerous, clever visual gags, including the use of Tsaikovsky’s 1812 Overture and the Clash’s cover of “I Fought the Law.” The filmmakers and artists, including director Dave Green and co-writer/co-producer James Gunn, really get these characters. 

But the movie also has unexpected heart and depth. It puts a new perspective on the Coyote that, perhaps, we’ve never considered before: the notion of “failure” and persistence. As one character says, “You go a long way to make a point.” (Famed animation director Chuck Jones once said something similar about the relentless critter.) Despite Wile E.’s own flaws and secrets, including obsessions and unfulfilled pursuits, his arc—and that of Forte’s attorney Kevin Avery—exemplifies overcoming doubt, following through with difficult decisions (rather than being bought out), and persevering through, even if they may “fail.” Avery also comes to see this as a thematic way of reexamining former cases—and himself. 

The fact that this movie is out in the world now, that it’s been getting unanimous praise, and that it honors the legacy of the Looney Tunes while still feeling fresh and relevant and hysterical, already makes it a winner. Go see it in theatres. It will mean a lot to the people who made it, and to those who helped get it to the big screen. 

Take a note, WB. These characters do still matter.