There may be hope for Coyote vs. Acme after all. Following reports that Warner Bros. was abandoning the live-action-animation hybrid film as a tax write-off, discussions are now underway for other studios to acquire it. The movie completed principle photography a year ago in New Mexico, and after news of its potential shelving, behind-the-scenes footage was leaked by a crew member showcasing stunts, concept art, and set assets. Amazon Studios is said to be the top contender for the purchase, with private screenings planned for major streaming platforms.
Filmmakers worldwide protested against Warner Bros., preventing Coyote vs. Acme from becoming the third film to be shelved as a tax write-off. The studio had previously cancelled the Leslie Grace-led Batgirl live-action movie and Scoob! Holiday Haunt, both of which were unfinished. It was initially claimed that Batgirl was ‘irredeemable’ and not worthy of a theatrical release. Coyote vs. Acme faced a similar fate until several filmmakers refused to meet with the company due to their previous cancellations being labeled as a one-off event. According to The Hollywood Reporter, the unnamed filmmakers are taking a ‘wait-and-see approach’ now that the film may find a new home.
Brian Duffield (No One Will Save You), a close friend of Coyote vs. Acme director Dave Green, revealed that the film stayed within its $72 million budget and traveled to multiple countries for 18 months for filming. Consequently, some industry colleagues have reportedly planned a ‘funeral screening’ at the WB lot, although this may no longer be necessary as the film could soon find a new distributor. Although shelving a film as a tax write-off boosts quarterly financial results, it disrupts franchise-building and undermines the confidence of filmmakers collaborating with the distributor, as seen with Batgirl and Coyote vs. Acme. Warner Bros. had originally intended to shift focus from streaming content back to traditional theatrical releases as the pandemic subsided.
During this time, Warner Bros. also decided to revamp its DC Comics slate and merge HBO Max and Discovery+ into a single streaming platform, now known as Max. Coyote vs. Acme was envisioned as a ‘popcorn-style crowd-pleaser,’ depicting the silent Wile E. Coyote suing the noisy Road Runner’s creator, ACME. He partners with a human attorney portrayed by Will Forte for some comedic repercussions. The movie also features John Cena as the ACME CEO and Lana Condor in a supporting role.
Meanwhile, DC Studios co-chair James Gunn took to Instagram to react to the Coyote vs. Acme news, posting a picture of the titular Coyote cooking — possibly a reference to a meme about “letting them cook.” He also confirmed that despite the recent Hollywood actors’ strike—which has now ended—Superman: Legacy’s release date remains unchanged. The film is set for release on July 11, 2025, starring David Corenswet as Clark Kent/Superman and Rachel Brosnahan from The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel as Lois Lane.
As of now, no release date has been announced for Coyote vs. Acme.
