With the release of Coyote vs. Acme, it appears that life imitates art yet again as the film finally accomplished the Sisyphean task of rolling the boulder over the hill. There’s been much hullabaloo about the unfortunate 2023 shelving as a tax write-off, but the question remains: does the film live up to the hype? Or was it truly so bad that David Zaslav was actually right, and it never should have seen the light of day?
Coyote vs. Acme follows Wile E. Coyote, the famed Looney Tunes underdog on his never-ending quest to capture Road Runner. After yet another failed attempt caused by faulty Acme products, he sees a commercial for a law firm that promises him a settlement from Acme Corporation.
He meets Kevin Avery (Will Forte), a lawyer whose usual business is getting clients a quick buck in small claims court. However, Kevin’s plucky niece, Paige Avery (Lana Condor), convinces him that there’s a bigger lawsuit worth pursuing, since hundreds of Wile’s attempts have backfired at the hands of an Acme product. Kevin rejects a settlement offer from Acme’s attorney—and his law school rival—Buddy Crane (John Cena) and decides to take Acme to court. In the process, he uncovers something more sinister at the hands of company.
Out of the Vault, Onto the Screen
Getting this movie released on the big screen was an extraordinary accomplishment in itself. Looney Tunes fans rallied online for years (#SaveCoyoteVsAcme) until Ketchup Entertainment acquired the distribution rights for this film, just as it did for last year’s The Day the Earth Blew Up. Fan enthusiasm doesn’t necessarily guarantee a good movie, but thankfully this time, it happens to be right.
Inspired by Ian Frazier’s satirical 1990 New Yorker piece, the premise is simple: What would happen if Wile E. Coyote sued Acme for lifetime of defective gadgets? This idea is the springboard for the entire film and it’s a fun romp the entire time.
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Live-action/animation hybrids are scarce nowadays and Coyote vs. Acme goes head-to-head with classics like Who Framed Roger Rabbit and Space Jam. Watching favorite Looney Tunes characters move through a live-action world and bounce off real people never gets old.
A Toon Shader Too Far
In live-action/animation hybrids, the animation has to be superb as anything less pulls you out of the film. Unfortunately for Coyote vs. Acme, it’s hit-and-miss. At first glance, it appears to be traditionally animated, but it’s just a CG model overlayed with a 2D toon shader. Some characters look so convincingly 2D that you’d swear they were hand-drawn, but most feel uncanny, a little too three-dimensional as you can almost see the CG model peeking through.
Wile E. Coyote has the majority of the screen time and is on one of the better animated toons, though even he falters in places. Granny, Peter Lorre, and Tweety look terrible. Only keen-eyed animation fans may spot exactly why, but it still affects the viewing experience. The standout character is Bugs Bunny, whose brief cameo as a Deep Throat figure is fluid, dynamic, and evocative of the original cartoons, which is no surprise as he was reportedly one of the only traditionally animated characters.
Credit: Coyote vs. Acme (Warner Animation Group, Ketchup Entertainment)
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As a Looney Tunes film, it does not disappoint. The screen is filled with so many gags and wild antics that even the most diehard fan will leave satisfied. There’s always an Easter eggs or obscure character in the background, which makes repeat viewings a must. One standout is a hilariously absurd exchange between Acme lawyer Buddy Crane and Tweety. Despite being mute, Wile delivers a fantastic performance through visual gags. You pity his plight, never-ending injuries, and trauma, and root for his seemingly impossible task of catching the Road Runner, however nefarious his intentions may be.
Will Forte Keeps Up
A hybrid movie like this needs an actor who can hold his own amongst the toons. Will Forte meets the moment, leaning into the absurdity of this world. The courtroom setting sets the film apart, grounding the premise and keeping it from becoming pure wackiness. As a result, the story packs a surprisingly serious punch with a few emotional moments. It will inevitably be compared to other Looney Tunes hybrids such as Space Jam, and Looney Tunes: Back in Action, but it stands on its own.
Credit: Coyote vs. Acme (Warner Animation Group, Ketchup Entertainment)
Overall, Coyote vs. Acme is everything you want in a Looney Tunes film: fun gags, wacky humor, and lots of heart. The animation is subpar, but it still gets the job done. It’s shocking that this one was almost locked in the Acme—ahem, Warner—Vault forever.
Coyote vs. Acme hit theaters on August 27, 2026.
RATING: 7/10
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