Wile E. Fights Back: 'Coyote vs. Acme' Finally Drops Official Trailer
Wile E. Coyote swaps TNT for a lawsuit as Will Forte and John Cena square off in the courtroom, mirroring the insane battle it took to get this film released.
The battle to release ‘Coyote vs. Acme’ became one of the most significant labor and fan-driven movements in modern Hollywood. In November 2023, Warner Bros. Discovery shocked the industry by announcing it would shelve the fully completed, $70 million live-action/animation hybrid film as a $30 million tax write-off. This decision mirrored the previous cancellations of Batgirl and Scoob! Holiday Haunt, but the backlash was far more severe because the film had received exceptionally high test scores and was already finished.
The ensuing public outcry saw filmmakers, cast members like Will Forte, and fans trending hashtags like #SaveCoyoteVsAcme for over a year. Under intense pressure, the studio briefly allowed the filmmakers to shop the project to other distributors, though they initially rejected bids from giants like Netflix and Amazon because they didn't meet a reported $75–$80 million asking price. The saga finally ended in March 2025, when the independent distributor Ketchup Entertainment stepped in to acquire the rights for approximately $50 million, officially securing a theatrical release.
The official trailer for Coyote vs. Acme presents a high-energy mix of courtroom drama and classic slapstick, opening with Wile E. Coyote attempting to use Acme rocket skates that inevitably lead to a massive explosion. The footage introduces Forte as Kevin Avery, a down-on-his-luck "billboard lawyer" whose cheesy TV ad inspires Wile E. to sue the corporation for his decades of self-inflicted—yet product-prompted—injuries. John Cena appears as the slick, smarmy corporate counsel Buddy Crane, who argues in court that Wile E. is simply reckless. The trailer highlights the film's hybrid live-action/animation style, featuring a jury with Miss Prissy and a montage of Looney Tunes cameos including Daffy Duck, Porky Pig, and Foghorn Leghorn. In a meta-commentary on the film's real-life production troubles, the trailer ends with a cheeky voiceover stating the film is being released "for accounting purposes only".
Who knows weather this film will eventually be an anvill to the end for Warner Bros. or a finally a delicious Roadrunner meal for the brand, but the talent behind the film have been pushing for its release for years, and they seem to think it can be a fan favorite.