Wile E. Coyote Will Take the Manufacturers of His Defective Products to Court in a Film That Combines Animation, Live-Action, and Courtroom Comedy.
After several years without a release date, Coyote vs. Acme will arrive in U.S. theaters on August 28, 2026. The movie brings Wile E. Coyote back to the screen, but this time his aim won’t be to catch the Road Runner: he will take ACME Corporation to court for the products that have ruined his plans again and again.
The production blends animated Looney Tunes characters with live-action actors and a courtroom comedy storyline. Dave Green directs the film, starring Will Forte, John Cena, and Lana Condor.
Coyote vs. Acme will premiere on August 28
- Title: Coyote vs. Acme
- US Release: August 28, 2026
- Duration: 101 minutes
- Rating: PG
- Genre: Comedy, Animation and Live-Action
- Director: Dave Green
- Music: Steven Price
Showtimes and ticketing options will be available on the official site of Coyote vs. Acme.
Wile E. Coyote Takes ACME to Court
After decades of rockets, traps, and defective gadgets, Wile E. Coyote decides to hold the company that makes the products used in his attempts to capture the Road Runner responsible.
To file the suit, he hires Kevin Avery, a down-on-his-luck lawyer played by Will Forte. The case pits him against Buddy Crane, Kevin’s former boss and ACME’s attorney, played by John Cena.
The story shifts the classic pursuit between the Coyote and the Road Runner into a courtroom battle in which ACME’s product failures become evidence.
Will Forte and John Cena Will Be on Opposite Sides of the Trial
- Will Forte: Kevin Avery, Wile E. Coyote’s attorney.
- John Cena: Buddy Crane, ACME’s legal representative.
- Lana Condor: Paige Avery, Kevin’s niece.
- P.J. Byrne: Bill Pellicano, ACME’s attorney.
- Tone Bell: appears in the live-action cast.
- Martha Kelly: is part of the cast.
- Luis Guzmán: appears in the film.
- Eric Bauza: voices several Looney Tunes characters.
The Film Went from Being Shelved to Securing a Release
Coyote vs. Acme was close to never reaching the public. Warner Bros. Discovery shelved the finished film in 2023 as part of a financial decision, drawing criticism from filmmakers, cast members, and Looney Tunes fans.
Ketchup Entertainment subsequently acquired worldwide distribution rights and prepared its theatrical release. The film thus joins projects that found a new distributor after being pulled from the original release calendar.
The Case Originated from a Satire Published in 1990
The premise is inspired by “Coyote v. Acme,” a satirical piece by Ian Frazier published in 1990 in The New Yorker. The story imagined a lawsuit in which Wile E. Coyote demanded compensation for damages caused by ACME products.
The movie expands that idea with new human characters, a confrontation between lawyers, and the physical humor associated with the Coyote and Road Runner cartoons.
Steven Price Turned the “Meep Meep” into Part of the Music
Steven Price composed the film’s score. The British musician won the Academy Award for Gravity and has also worked on productions such as Fury, Our Planet, and Last Night in Soho.
One of the pieces related to the project, titled “Meep Meep Choir,” transforms the Road Runner’s familiar sound into a choral rendition inspired by Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky’s 1812 Overture.
Official Trailer for Coyote vs. Acme
The characters also recently returned in another Looney Tunes film starring Porky Pig and Daffy Duck.
