Coyote vs. Acme will arrive in theaters on August 28 after being rescued from a corporate tax write-off. The film features Wile E. Coyote filing a lawsuit against the Acme Corporation.
The 103-minute climb to secnod place
According to Fandango, Coyote vs. Acme clocks in at one hour and 43 minutes. While this makes it one of the longest entries in the franchise, it sits just behind 2021's Space Jam: A New Legacy, which holds the top spot with a runtime of one hour and 55 minutes.
The film's length marks a significant expansion for the series' cinematic footprint. For comparison, the report says that both 2003's Looney Tunes: Back in Action and last year's The Day the Earth Blew Up run for one hour and 31 minutes, while the original 1996 Space Jam is the shortest of the group at one hour and 27 minutes.
A $50 million rescue from the Warner Bros. tax bin
The journey to the big screen was nearly derailed in November 2023 when Warner Bros. Pictures canceled the release of Coyote vs. Acme to secure a tax write-off. This move mirrored the 2022 cancellation of Batgirl,leaving audiences to believe the finished project would remain unseen in a corporate vault.
However, the film was saved in March 2025 when Ketchup Entertainment acquired the live-action/CGI hybrid for a reported $50 million . This acquisition ensures that the project, which had already been completed, will finally reach a wide audience following its world premiere at San Diego Comic-Con on July 25.
Will Forte and John Cena in a legal battle over Acme products
The plot of Coyote vs. Acme centers on the title character suing the Acme Corporation after years of defective products hindered his attempts to catch the Road Runner. Wile E. Coyote is represented by a struggling lawyer named Kevin Avery, played by Will Forte.
Opposing them is Buddy Crane, played by John Cena, who serves as the legal representative for the Acme Corporation and is the former boss of Kevin Avery. The supporting cast includes Lana Condor, Tone Bell, P.J. Byrne, Martha Kelly, and Luis Guzmán, with appearances by Looney Tunes staples such as Tweety Bird, Foghorn Leghorn, and Porky Pig.
From 1949's Fast and Furry-ous to the Albuquerque set
This theatrical release comes nearly 80 years after Wile E. Coyote and the Road Runner first appeared in the 1949 short Fast and Furry-ous, a project written by Michael Maltese and directed by Chuck Jones. While the characters have appeared in previous hybrid films, Coyote vs. Acme gives the Coyote his first primary cinematic spotlight.
The production of Coyote vs. Acme took place in Albuquerque, New Mexico, from March to May 2022. The film was directed by Dave Green and written by Samy Burch, who developed the story alongside Jeremy Slater and James Gunn, with visual effects provided by DNEG.
Competing with The Dog Stars and Idiots on August 28
As Coyote vs. Acme prepaers for its August 28 wide release, it faces opening weekend competition from films titled The Dog Stars, Idiots, and Buddy. This release date is a stark shift from the original July 21, 2023, slot, which was eventually occupied by the Barbie movie.
Despite the excitement, several details remain unverified. The report does not specify the exact distribution terms between Ketchup Entertainment and theater chains, nor does it provide a comment from Warner Bros.. Pictures regarding the sale of the asset. It remains unclear how Ketchup Entertainment's marketing budget compares to the original Warner Bros. strategy.
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