Shelved Looney Tunes Film Will Get Released After All

For once, here’s a Looney Tunes story that doesn’t end with the Coyote falling off a cliff to its inevitable doom.

It appeared that we might never see Coyote vs. Acme, the completed but unreleased live-action/animated hybrid Looney Tunes film that was made by Warner Bros. Discovery but then shelved — potentially forever — in favor of whatever tax benefits WBD could reap from junking the entire project. There were even rumors recently that WBD may “delete” the film forever, rather than distribute it themselves or sell it to another company.

Thankfully, that’s not what happened. Instead, WBD has sold the project to Ketchup Entertainment, who said in a statement that they have acquired the worldwide rights to distribute the movie. It looks like we will get to see Coyote vs. Acme after all.

In the press release Ketchup CEO Gareth West said...

We’re thrilled to have made a deal with Warner Bros. Pictures to bring this film to audiences worldwide. COYOTE VS. ACME is a perfect blend of nostalgia and modern storytelling, capturing the essence of the beloved Looney Tunes characters while introducing them to a new generation. We believe it will resonate with both longtime fans and newcomers alike.

Warner Bros.

Coyote vs. Acme “centers on Wile E. Coyote as he takes legal action against the Acme Corporation for the countless faulty products that have hindered his relentless pursuit of the Road Runner.”

The high-concept comedy directed by Dave Green was first announced in 2022, with Will Forte and John Cena in the key live-action roles. The film was completed but then shelved by Warner Bros. in late 2023. When I interviewed Cena last year for another project I asked him about Coyote vs. Acme; at that time, he said...

I gave my heart and soul to it. I think that’s what’s so tough, especially with folks like [co-stars] Will Forte and P.J. Byrne, and [director] Dave Green, who absolutely crushed it, and our whole entire cast, and certainly all the people in visual effects that spent all the time to make those Warner Bros. characters come to life ... But at the end of the day, it’s the movie biz. And I totally, completely respect Warners’ choice to do what they did with the movie, because I want the business to go on. I regret folks who got the chance to shine in the movie, because when you do good, you get another opportunity. So that’s the only thing that kind of stinks.

Thankfully, that shall stink no more. Ketchup Entertainment did not announce a release date for Coyote vs. Acme yet, but we can now rest assured one is coming.