Will Forte on 'Coyote vs. Acme': How a Shelved Film Found Its Way to Theaters
After years of delays and a near-death experience as a studio tax write-off, the live-action Looney Tunes film "Coyote vs. Acme" is finally reaching theaters on August 28. The movie stars Will Forte as a down-on-his-luck attorney who teams up with Wile E. Coyote to sue the Acme Corporation for decades of defective products.
Based on Ian Frazier's 1990 satirical piece in The New Yorker, the film reimagines the classic Road Runner cartoons as a David-versus-Goliath legal battle. James Gunn, now co-head of DC Studios, co-wrote the story and served as a producer on the project.
A Buddy Comedy About Lovable Losers
"Kevin Avery is a down-on-his-luck attorney. He's given up. He likes to settle all of his cases. He's not up for the fight," Forte explained in a recent interview. "Then he is approached by Wile E. Coyote, who wants to take on the Acme Corporation."
The film follows the "Who Framed Roger Rabbit" model, blending live action with animated Looney Tunes characters. Despite never speaking a word throughout the movie, Wile E. Coyote emerges as an unexpectedly emotional character who communicates through hand-held signs, just as he did in the classic cartoons.
"It's so interesting how emotional I could get over this character that hasn't said a word the entire movie," Forte said. "You really feel for this character who has historically been the bad guy. He's basically trying to murder this bird and eat it. But at the end of this movie, you feel for Wile E. and you're on his side."
From Production to Near-Oblivion
The film completed principal photography in New Mexico in May 2022 with a budget of approximately $70 million. Originally greenlit for HBO Max by Warner Bros.' previous leadership, the movie was slated for a 2023 theatrical release but was bumped to make room for "Barbie."
Then came the shocking news: Warner Bros. Discovery planned to shelve the completed film entirely to claim a $30 million tax write-off. The decision, led by CEO David Zaslav as part of a strategic shift away from streaming exclusives toward theatrical releases, followed the controversial shelving of other completed films including "Batgirl," which had a budget of approximately $90 million, and "Scoob! Holiday Haunt."
"We got this news that they were going to shelve it and I just thought, I guess it's not very good. 'Cause why would you do that to a movie that's good?" Forte recalled. "I was so proud of it and that made it all the more confusing and frustrating. That turned into a lot of anger over the next couple months."
The decision sparked widespread criticism, including from U.S. Representative Joaquin Castro, who compared Warner Bros. Discovery's actions to "burning down a building for the insurance money."
A Second Chance
Despite testing well with audiences, the film appeared doomed until Warner Bros. allowed the filmmakers to shop it to other distributors. Amazon Prime Video, Apple, and Netflix all screened the movie for potential acquisition, but no deals materialized.
In March 2025, independent distributor Ketchup Entertainment stepped in, acquiring worldwide distribution rights for approximately $50 million. The company had previously rescued another shelved Warner Bros. Looney Tunes film, "The Day the Earth Blew Up," which earned over $15 million worldwide at the box office.
"I just thought Warner Bros. would never sell it to anybody," Forte said. "Out of nowhere, Ketchup Entertainment came and saved it. I was so surprised."
Hollywood Consolidation Concerns
The film's backstory mirrors its own plot about an underdog fighting a corporate giant. When asked about the proposed $111 billion merger between Paramount Skydance and Warner Bros. Discovery, which faces an antitrust trial scheduled for March 2027, Forte expressed hope for creative diversity in Hollywood.
"When I hear that, I go, oh, OK. I hope they go kick out all the people from Warner Bros. who made this decision," he said with a laugh. "From a creative standpoint, I don't think it's great to be having this level of consolidation. I'm most interested in a system that allows fun, unique voices to come out."
Forte remains grateful that audiences will finally see the film. "It's so funny because the whole movie is about this underdog fighting a big corporation, and then the whole backstory of what's happened to the movie is the same thing. It's been an interesting ride and just so thankful that people are going to get to see it."
