‘Coyote vs. Acme’ may finally hit theaters after bid from buyer

• Ketchup Entertainment wants to acquire the previously shelved “Coyote vs. Acme” from Warner Bros. for $50 million and is eyeing a potential 2026 release date. The independent distributor is handling other Looney Tunes projects.
• Warner Bros. completed but scrapped the film in 2023 despite positive test screenings, frustrating fans and cast members like Will Forte.
• The movie, starring John Cena, Lana Condor and Will Forte, follows Wile E. Coyote’s lawsuit against Acme Corporation for defective products.

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After it was initially shelved by Warner Bros., “Coyote vs. Acme” may finally get its day in court. A new deal could bring the film to theaters in 2026.

Ketchup Entertainment in negotiations

Ketchup Entertainment, an independent distributor, is negotiating a deal to acquire “Coyote vs. Acme” for approximately $50 million. According to Deadline, the company is working on an all-rights acquisition with producer Gareth West.

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Ketchup Entertainment is known for distributing films like “Hypnotic,” starring Ben Affleck. The company also recently took on another Looney Tunes project, “The Day the Earth Blew Up: A Looney Tunes Movie,” set for release in 2025.

‘Coyote vs. Acme’ scrapped despite completion

Warner Bros. completed “Coyote vs. Acme” but shelved it in 2023, reportedly for a tax write-off. The film became the third fully finished Warner Bros. project to be scrapped, following “Batgirl” and “Scoob! Holiday Haunt.”

Despite positive test screenings, the studio did not move forward with a release. Instead, Warner Bros. held a “funeral screening” for the cast and crew, allowing those involved to see the finished product.

The live-action/animated hybrid stars John Cena, Lana Condor and Will Forte. In the movie, Wile E. Coyote sues the Acme Corporation for selling him defective products, which have consistently failed in his pursuit of the Road Runner.

In a recent interview with MovieWeb, Forte expressed frustration over decisions to scrap the film’s release.

“It deserves so much better than what it got,” Forte said. “I don’t know. I can’t tell you possibly why the decision was made to not release it, but it makes my blood boil.”

Fans campaigned for a release

Fans have actively pushed for the release of “Coyote vs. Acme.” The hashtag #ReleaseCoyoteVsAcme was trending online as social media users urged Warner Bros. to reconsider.

One protester even dressed as Wile E. Coyote and stood outside the Warner Bros. lot in March to make a statement.

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A second chance at release?

This is not the first time Warner Bros. has considered selling “Coyote vs. Acme.” In early 2024, the studio reportedly screened the film for buyers but rejected all offers below its $70 million production cost.

If the deal with Ketchup Entertainment moves forward, “Coyote vs. Acme” could finally hit theaters in 2026.