Coyote vs Acme Is a Ludicrously Good Time

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Who would’ve thought that Wily E. Coyote and Road Runner would be as synonymous as Peanut Butter & Jelly?

If Warner Bros. Discovery has their way, no one would’ve ever seen Coyote vs Acme. Which is a weird thing to say considering they paid millions of dollars to have it made. But following a big time merger, Coyote vs Acme was one of the films on the chopping block. Apparently, it made more sense financially to shelve the film away for tax credits, than to release it in theaters like originally intended. While some projects remain in limbo, due to quality concerns or the financials, Coyote vs Acme was a particularly weird title to shelve. Didn’t Looney Tunes define Warner Bros. and vice versa? Word was that there wasn’t anything wrong with the film critically, it just didn’t meet investment goals. Which is an entirely crazy thing to write about art. 

Thankfully, another company stepped up to the plate and offered Warner Bros. enough money to actually release Coyote vs Acme because it's a fantastic movie. 

The hook of the project resides in Wile E. Coyote’s relationship with the Acme company. Through the many years that Wile E. has been chasing the Road Runner, he’s always used Acme products. And every time those products fail to help him with his goal. When the opportunity comes to bring a lawsuit against the Acme corporation, Wile E. doesn’t hesitate. The only problem is that the help comes from a small-time lawyer (Will Forte) and his intern (Lana Condor), with a firm that’s in no way, shape, or form capable of taking on the conglomerate. 

In fact, when Acme learns of the lawsuit being brought against them, they enlist their best lawyer Buddy Crane (John Cena), to make sure this case never comes to trial. Coyote vs Acme is a take on those classic 90s courtroom dramas, but with a heaping plate of Looney Tunes characters to spruce up the proceedings. The plot of Coyote vs Acme is especially poignant considering the grassroots efforts to get the film released when the big conglomerate Warner Bros. shelved it. 

There have been many attempts to team the Looney Tunes up with live action counterparts. Think movies like the two Space Jam movies and Looney Tunes: Back in Action which paired the crazy rabbit and all his friends up with Brendan Fraser. Most famously, audiences would probably recall 1988's Who Framed Roger Rabbit, which wasn’t a Looney Tunes movie, but had many of the memorable characters appear. That has long been the gold standard when it comes to the Looney Tunes being in live-action features. Well, I believe that what the creators of Coyote vs Acme have achieved here rivals anything that has come before it. 

While the hook of the movie, suing the Acme corporation, would be enough to get the audience through the door, there had to be a lot more to keep it compelling. The relationship between Forte and Wile E. is especially compelling as an initially skeptical lawyer becomes more invested in the plight of the genius Coyote. And if you thought the movie wouldn’t mention or address some of the more controversial members of the Looney Tunes history, their brief inclusions provide hilarious results. 

Coyote vs Acme took a much different path than most movies do to theaters, but it's been worth the wait. It’s the best Looney Tunes movie in some time, and I never thought I’d see a courtroom drama where Foghorn Leghorn is chewing scenery. Best of all, the project does seem like a labor of love from everyone involved. Given how quickly Warner Bros. tossed aside the Looney Tunes, I do wonder if this is the last theatrical outing for these quirky characters. If that comes to pass, at least this was a ludicrously good time. [B+]

Coyote vs Acme is now playing in theaters everywhere.

Here's what I was watching in August 2026. As always if you want to follow along, check out my Letterboxd: