Coyote vs. Acme (2026)

“Coyote vs. Acme” stars Will Forte, Lana Condor, Tone Bell, Luis Guzmán, Martha Kelly, P.J. Byrne, Eric Bauza, Kenneth Choi, and John Cena.  Released on August 28, 2026, the film follows a billboard attorney representing Wile E. Coyote in a lawsuit against Acme.

The film is directed by Dave Green, who also directed “Earth to Echo” and “Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Out of the Shadows”.  It is based on the 1990 The New Yorker magazine article “Coyote v. Acme” by Ian Frazier.  The Looney Tunes have been a staple of our childhood cartoon era for as long as we can remember, with memorable characters and slapstick shenanigans keeping us laughing our pants off.  With that in mind, it's all the more surprising that the franchise has recently been struggling with its current projects.  The “Looney Tunes Cartoons” show on HBO Max proved the brand still has the juice in its wackiness and charm, but its movies tell a completely different story.  The “Space Jam” sequel failed to recapture the original’s wacky magic financially and critically, and the two recent films starring the Looney Tunes characters ended up being shelved as tax write-offs under David Zaslav’s rule.  Fortunately, these movies saw the light of day after public backlash, thanks to a small studio named after a popular condiment.  One of them was “The Day the Earth Blew Up”, which saw Porky Pig and Daffy Duck saving the world from an alien invasion.  The other is an adaptation of Ian Frazier’s New Yorker parody article that pits the Looney Tunes against the corporation behind their kooky products.  Like what happened with “The Day The Earth Blew Up”, the massive fan support convinced Ketchup Entertainment to acquire the distribution rights to this film.  The question now is whether this support is actually worth it.  Let’s find out.

The story takes place in an alternate reality where the Looney Tunes coexist with humans.  One of the Looney Tunes characters, Wile E. Coyote, continues his pursuit to capture the Road Runner with the products made by the Acme Corporation.  However, every single invention he purchased has backfired on him.  This leads Coyote to sue Acme and hire a down-on-his-luck billboard attorney named Kevin Avery (Forte) as his lawyer.  The duo is then pitted against Acme’s own lawyer, Buddy Crane (Cena), who happens to be Kevin’s former boss.  Faced with impossible odds, Kevin and Coyote seek to uncover a conspiracy involving the Acme Corporation and win this loony court case.

Considering that I grew up watching the Looney Tunes, it’s a no-brainer that my interest piqued upon hearing the concept.  It not only harkens back to the previous live-action/animated Looney Tunes movies like “Space Jam” and “Back in Action”, but it also offers a clever twist to the usual courtroom drama narratives usually aimed at older audiences.  What’s clever about it is the connection between Acme and the Looney Tunes, particularly the inventions Wile E. Coyote uses to catch the Road Runner.  Since the fictional company’s crazy devices have setbacks that cause bodily harm to these various characters, who doesn’t want to sue the corporation for its crappy contraptions?  It sounded like an ingenious way to revive the IP that’s entertained audiences for generations, which made it all the more baffling that Warner Brothers tried to remove it from existence after it was completed.  Fortunately, thanks to the support from multiple fans and creators, we’re finally able to witness this loony concept unfold on the big screen rather than on a streaming service.  Of course, that includes yours truly.

Since I’ve shown my support for “The Day The Earth Blew Up”, it made sense that I would do the same for “Coyote vs. Acme”, whose comeback story is undoubtedly one for the history books, Looney Tunes-related or otherwise.  What’s even better is that it managed to meet my expectations of being an absolute blast from start to finish.  It not only works as a worthy, chaotic tribute to the iconic Looney Tunes characters, but it also serves as a highly entertaining, witty, and heartfelt satire of courtroom dramas of years past.  Yes, even the ones that are based on actual case files.  It even said it’s “based on a true story,” meaning cartoon characters are actually running amok in real life.  We just don’t know it yet.  I knew that I would enjoy it because of the brand and my love for the Looney Tunes, but I didn’t expect it to be the best Looney Tunes film in the live-action/animated space.

Part of the reason is its director, Dave Green.  While not a perfect director, Green offered a notable blend of family-friendly entertainment and wholesomeness that made “Earth to Echo” and “Out of the Shadows” solid entries in his filmography.  His third film, “Coyote vs. Acme”, tasked him with delivering that same mix to the Looney Tunes world while ensuring the IP’s charm and kookiness remained intact in its live-action setting.  Did he accomplish that goal?  Absolutely!  This is possibly Green’s best effort to date in feature films because he retained the family-friendly aura and charismatic enjoyment of his other works.  He also injected the right amount of wackiness and soul into its world-building, while making sure the heart of its characters and messages shone as brightly as its looniness.  The narrative momentum is pretty swift, throwing out numerous gags and elements at once without a moment to breathe.  It’s akin to the Road Runner itself.  It keeps moving quickly until it stops by a mountain of birdseed.  It can be a bit too much for those wanting an extra minute of character exploration, both in pacing and its contained narrative structure.  However, it’s also fitting for the Looney Tunes’ zany nature, meaning that Dave Green understood the assignment very well.

Of course, the real winner was its screenplay by Samy Burch.  For those unfamiliar, Burch was responsible for writing “May December” and “Late Fame”, with the former earning her an Oscar nomination for Best Original Screenplay.  With such a peculiar lineup, it got me wondering if Burch was up to the task in writing something more lighthearted and wacky than dramatic and mature.  Well, I got my answer when I watched it, and it was a glowing one.  Like Green, Samy Burch also had a clear understanding of what makes the Looney Tunes iconic, not just in the slapstick, visual gags, and witty dialogue, but also the heart behind them.  However, the commentary and messages further emphasize this tribute, making this seemingly family-friendly adventure more than just a series of loony jokes.  By portraying Acme as a real-life company, “Coyote vs. Acme” offers a humorous yet relatable reflection on corporate greed and even discrimination against its “subjects.”  Its higher-ups, including Foghorn Leghorn (Bauza), are willing to make an extra buck without much care for the subjects they test their products on, an ironic parallel to other companies with similar tactics.  It’s no wonder Warner Brothers wanted to erase it from existence.  This satirized commentary is portrayed in a way that’s thoughtful and also smart without dumbing things down for young children.  Along with its genuine message about perseverance amid constant failures, this hilariously clever “David vs Goliath” scenario is what I would call a huge “screw you” to corporations that care more about money than their consumers, particularly Warner Brothers.  Additionally, it serves as a strong introduction to the legal procedural narrative for kids.

But what about the animation, notably the Looney Tunes characters?  Honestly, it wasn’t too bad.  The film aimed to use 3D effects to make the 2D-animated characters look more “alive” when interacting with the real world.  However, there were a few moments when certain characters remained in 2D.  While some of the CGI looked a bit more “3D-ish”, including Foghorn, they didn’t ruin the illusion for me.  They captured the 2D appeal of the characters and Acme products through design and wacky expressions, making them feel modern and nostalgic for those who grew up with similar live-action/animated hybrids.  It’s not quite as revolutionary as what “Who Framed Roger Rabbit” accomplished in 1988, though the technology was limited back then.  But on its own, the animation side of the film is as wacky and surreal as it was well-crafted and honorable to the Looney Tunes IP.  

The cast also did a great job matching the ensuing chaos through their performances, both from the live-action and animation space.  Will Forte has delivered solid work in the past few years as an actor and voice actor, including MacGruber.  Heck, I would even say that he did a pretty good Shaggy impression in “Scoob!”.  Yeah, I said it, and I’m not taking it back.  “Coyote vs. Acme” sees him back in the live-action space once more, portraying a lawyer who’s afraid of taking big risks for fear of embarrassment.  As usual, Forte retains the charismatic nature of his performance, offering both comedy and heart into a character who’s initially unlikable for his cowardliness.  Additionally, Forte provided some great chemistry with Wile E. Coyote, whose actions speak louder than words.  John Cena was also very entertaining as Buddy Crane, proving he can be magnetic as a protagonist and delightfully devious as the bad guy.  In other words, John Cena still knows how to draw in the cinematic crowd, regardless of what character he plays.  Lana Condor also did a solid job as Paige, Kevin’s niece who helps him overcome the impossible.  She is certainly making a name for herself since debuting in “X-Men: Apocalypse”, especially in recent films this year like “Pretty Lethal” and “The Devil’s Mouth”.  It’s close to being her best performance, but based on what I’ve seen here and the previous ones, Condor still has promise in doing so.  Of course, I would also credit Eric Bauza for keeping the spirit of specific Looney Tunes characters alive through his distinctive vocal range, like Bugs Bunny, Daffy Duck, and Foghorn Leghorn.  He was once again fantastic, delivering impressive work in the voice acting business.
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Overall, “Coyote vs. Acme” is a loony court case worth talking about, as it delivered a swift, hilariously entertaining, and heartfelt satire of corporate greed that’s as wacky as the Looney Tunes themselves.  More importantly, it is a remarkably sincere tribute to the brand, showcasing the slapstick and soul that make them more than just cartoon characters.  That alone shows that these kooky individuals still haven’t lost their zany touch, while also proving that other characters besides Bugs Bunny and Daffy Duck are worthy of the spotlight.  At times, its pacing can feel a bit too chaotic, and its contained narrative may not leave much room to expand its world-building.  Fortunately, it saved enough room to highlight its commentary and messages, revitalizing the court-case narrative through its fun premise, wacky mishaps, and loony heart.  With its highly enjoyable cast, Dave Green’s direction, witty screenplay, and well-crafted blend of animation and live-action, this film is guilty of being the best live-action Looney Tunes movie ever.  Whether you like the Looney Tunes or not, it’s definitely worth watching to celebrate the hard work many people put into the film and to have a great time.     

A-