Coyote vs. ACME turns a long, troubled release history into a surprisingly sharp comedy about persistence, corporate power and one cartoon underdog finally getting his day in court.
A film that refused to disappear
The idea began with Ian Frazier’s 1990 New Yorker piece, written as a mock legal filing from Wile E. Coyote. After years of failed traps and defective products, the cartoon predator takes ACME Corporation to court for the damage caused by its unreliable inventions.
James Gunn first proposed a film adaptation to Warner Bros. in 2015. The project was approved in 2018, filmed in 2022 under director Dave Green, and written by Samy Burch. It then completed post-production in the usual way.
That changed in November 2023, when Warner Bros. Discovery announced that the finished film would be shelved and treated as a tax loss alongside several other productions. The decision triggered an immediate backlash from Looney Tunes fans, industry figures and cast members Eric Bauza and Will Forte, all of whom criticised chief executive David Zaslav’s cost-cutting approach.
The studio subsequently said the movie could be sold, but reportedly sought between $75 million and $80 million. It remained unreleased for more than a year until Ketchup Entertainment, which had already acquired and distributed The Day the Earth Blew Up: A Looney Tunes Movie in 2024, purchased it for $50 million in March 2025.
Coyote vs. ACME is scheduled to reach Australian cinemas on August 28. After such a convoluted journey, the result is far better than its fate might have suggested.
A courtroom comedy with classic cartoon timing
The central story combines a legal battle with an unlikely friendship. Wile E. Coyote hires Kevin Avery, a small-claims lawyer played by Forte, after ACME’s products repeatedly backfire. Avery normally settles cases quickly for modest sums, but the Coyote’s determination convinces him to pursue a much larger challenge.
The relationship recalls Who Framed Roger Rabbit, particularly the way a human lawyer forms a genuine bond with a lonely animated character. Here, however, the Coyote is silent, forcing Forte to create a convincing emotional connection without dialogue from his animated co-star.
The film’s comedy is broad, dense and relentlessly paced. Physical gags sit alongside visual jokes, quick one-liners and references aimed at dedicated Looney Tunes followers. Its rapid succession of bits brings to mind the manic rhythm of Airplane and The Naked Gun: when one joke misses, another arrives almost immediately.
The opening effectively functions as a new Wile E. Coyote and Road Runner short, combining familiar setups with fresh variations. The world is packed with background jokes and appearances from less prominent characters. One memorable exchange involves Granny explaining that some people believe her husband left with his secretary, before adding that the secretary was a penguin.
There are also carefully hidden tributes. The principal law firm, Avery, Jones and Maltese, nods to animation legends Tex Avery, Chuck Jones and Michael Maltese. A major mid-film revelation is both unexpected and very funny, while remaining faithful to the anything-goes logic of the classic shorts.
A different kind of cartoon world
Unlike Space Jam or Who Framed Roger Rabbit, this film does not treat the Looney Tunes as celebrities crossing into the human world. Humans and cartoon characters simply live alongside one another, much as Muppets and human actors share a setting according to the needs of the story.
When Avery encounters Bugs Bunny, he does not react as though he has met a childhood icon. Bugs is simply a cartoon rabbit whose small role becomes important to the case. That choice gives the setting its own identity rather than repeating the familiar “human meets famous cartoon” formula.
The production uses live action with computer-rendered characters designed to resemble flat, hand-drawn animation. Their limited depth and solid colours help create that impression, while the characters retain the squash-and-stretch movement expected from Looney Tunes.
Traditional 2D animation might have produced an even closer visual match to Roger Rabbit, but recreating that process would have been prohibitively expensive. The digital compromise works well enough that many viewers may not notice the difference, and the animation’s movement remains true to the source material.
Strong casting keeps the gags moving
The animated characters feel well chosen for their roles. Foghorn Leghorn becomes ACME’s blustering boss, while Tweety Bird serves as one of the corporation’s enforcers. Elmer Fudd receives a particularly fitting appearance, although the joke is best discovered without explanation.
Forte provides the film’s human anchor. He must perform opposite a silent, computer-generated character while making Avery’s changing attitude believable. The Coyote’s presence never feels absent, and the lawyer’s growing loyalty gives the slapstick a clear emotional centre.
John Cena is equally effective as ACME’s aggressive legal representative. His confrontations with Foghorn are consistently entertaining, while an intensely chaotic scene with Tweety is likely to become one of the film’s most memorable sequences. Crucially, the human cast supports the animated characters rather than taking over the movie.
Why the film’s message feels timely
The movie is not simply a collection of recycled gags from the 1940s. Its story remains accessible in 2026, particularly through its criticism of oversized corporations and systems that leave ordinary people with little power.
That theme gains an unintended extra edge because of the film’s own history. The production was completed in 2023, yet its anti-corporate ideas now appear to echo the unusual business decisions that kept it from audiences. Even without knowing the release drama, the story works as a comic attack on concentrated corporate control.
Wile E. Coyote has been an underdog since his debut in 1949. His endless pursuit of the Road Runner is driven by an appetite that never receives satisfaction, making him easy to support even when his plans are doomed. After being battered by both ACME and the film industry’s release machinery, seeing him pursue justice is an appropriately satisfying conclusion.
Final verdict
Coyote vs. ACME is an energetic, affectionate comedy that understands why the Looney Tunes endure. Its jokes arrive quickly, its characters are thoughtfully used, and its human-cartoon friendship gives the chaos a warm centre.
For readers building a home entertainment space around animated classics, the film’s mix of visual timing and broad physical comedy also makes a strong case for revisiting the appeal of a dedicated arcade and gaming room. Whether you prefer a full arcade machine or a space-saving bartop arcade, the same principle applies: well-designed entertainment should be immediate, expressive and fun.
Verdict: A very funny Looney Tunes feature and a rewarding payoff for one of the strangest release sagas in recent film history.
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