COYOTE VS ACME: The Journey to an Awesome Movie

This past weekend, I went by myself to see the newest theatrical release Coyote Vs Acme, starring Will Forst, John Cena, and the legendary Looney Tunes.

The story behind the movie itself is incredible. Made in 2023, the film was shelved by Warner Brothers Discovery as a “tax write-off”. Normally, in Hollywood terms, a film shelved via “tax write-off” means it stunk.

However, all die-hard Looney Tunes fans online made their voices heard, demanding the movie get released. The biggest buzz about this movement came in 2025 from a lone fan named Marco, dressed as Wile E. Coyote, protesting outside of Warner Brothers Studio in Hollywood with a simple message: RELEASE ME!

Warner Brothers Discovery ultimately relented in March 2025, selling the rights of the flick to Ketchup Entertainment, an independent film distribution company. On August 21, 2026, the movie was released nationwide.

I have always felt that the Looney Tunes haven’t been the same since the early 1990s, when they were still airing on Nickelodeon during weekday nights. The success of Space Jam was supposed to be the starting point for a new era of Bugs and Lola Bunny, Daffy Duck, Marvin the Martian, and the little aliens who played the Monstars, especially with the beginnings of the WB Network. However, that never happened.

Then, following the mediocre Looney Tunes: Back in Action picture in 2003 losing money at the box office, the Tunes weren’t relevant and became a vintage cartoon. Warner Brothers tried to reestablish the characters with a 2019 sequel Space Jam: A New Legacy, but the movie, although breaking even at the theaters and on HBO Max, was negatively received and did damage to the characters even more.

So going into this past Saturday, I went into seeing Coyote Vs Acme with low expectations.

I was more than pleasantly surprised: I was blown away.

The premise of the movie was simple: Wile E. Coyote, sick of always having his attempts to capture the Roadrunner due to faulty ACME products, went to Kevin Avery, a lawyer out of Albuquerque, NM, and decided to sue ACME Corporation.

Without going into spoilers, the plot expanded into a deeper feature about never giving up on your dreams. More importantly, being the “little guy” taking on a giant corporation, which, in 2026, holds a message very near to my heart.

By the end of the movie, I had tears in my eyes. The story and emotional investment in the characters and story really moved me. I was genuinely surprised.

While thinking about the movie on my drive home, it also really made me realize how simple the movie was, compared to the other big-budget classics that are being made nowadays. The simplicity of the story showcased a vintage feel to the movies that were made in the 1980s and 1990s.

I remember reading the incredible book Disney War by James B. Stewart about Michael Eisner’s “singles and doubles” philosophy when it came to feature films. Instead of breaking the bank for blockbusters, a modest budget and strong script would tune into consistent profits for Disney and its subsidiaries, which was the foundation for the 80s and 90s.

Coyote vs Acme fits into that mindset.

I have to give Will Forte, who I best knew from MacGruber, a tremendous credit for his leading role as lawyer Kevin Avery, as well as John Cena, whose role as Buddy Crane showcased the fantastic improv skills that the “Greatest of All Time” developed over years as the face of WWE.

Lastly, Samy Burch’s script was absolutely fantastic, finding a way to use the Looney Tunes in perfect cameo spots. He needs to feel proud of the tremendous script he put together.

Overall, I plan on seeing this movie one more time in theaters, to both see any Easter eggs put into the film, as well as sticking it to Warner Brothers for trying to eliminate this movie from ever being seen. (Complete side note: If this awesome movie was a “tax write off”, I can only imagine what Batgirl was before its similar fate.)

Coyote Vs Acme took me to a time of youth and wonder, as well as where Hollywood should actually be going. Forget about the monstrous budgets and blockbuster epics: go back to “singles and doubles”. It might save the industry and bring even more people to the theaters.

It’s never been more apropos: That’s All, Folks.

Jon Harder

Jon@HardwayHQ.com