Tonight's Movie: Coyote vs. Acme (2026)

As many of my readers will be aware, COYOTE VS. ACME (2026) has had a long road to its theatrical release.

Despite good advance industry "buzz," the movie was shelved as a $30 million tax writeoff by Warner Bros. Discovery in 2023.

In 2025 Ketchup Entertainment bought the movie from WBD, and it was finally released theatrically late last month.

Now that the movie is available, I had to go check it out, and I'm glad to say that for the most part I found it amusing and enjoyable.

To set the stage, COYOTE VS. ACME is a live-action/animation hybrid in the style of WHO FRAMED ROGER RABBIT? (1988) or SPACE JAM (1996).

Wile E. Coyote, frustrated by malfunctioning Acme products which always prevent him from catching the Road Runner, hires a law firm to sue Acme.

Attorney Kevin Avery (Will Forte) wants to settle with Acme's attorney, Buddy Crane (John Cena), but Wile E. Coyote insists on going to trial.

Trial won't be easy, given how hard it is to subpoena the Road Runner as a witness...and does Wile E. have an ulterior motive wanting his longtime nemesis being required to show up at the trial? One guess.

The plot becomes increasingly convoluted -- including a wild and crazy Senate hearing chaired by Elmer Fudd?! -- but most of it is quite fun.

Between the jokes and famous cartoon characters constantly popping up, it's a movie which requires suprisingly close viewing in order to fully appreciate all of the film's 103 minutes.

You've got to love "in" jokes like Kevin's law firm being named Avery, Jones & Maltese, and the inclusion of a character like "Dr. Lorre"? Perfection.

My one real issue with the movie was the central human actor, Will Forte, who was extremely bland and not a particularly likeable character as the lazy attorney who always prefers to settle.

One of the film's themes is Kevin reforming from being perpetual "loser" to something more, but it just didn't work for me. The writing and performance of the character are the movie's only real flaws, in my opinion.

Fortunately Forte was surrounded by interesting human and animated characters. Lana Condor steals the movie as Kevin's adorable niece who is serving as his intern. She's bright, charming, and sincere in her desire to help Wile E. Coyote.

I also especially enjoyed Martha Kelly as the law firm secretary; her deadpan line deliveries really tickled me. She has very funny bits, such as when the law firm is going under financially and she announces to the attorneys she's made appointments for them to donate plasma. I loved her anticipating that they'll be desperate for cash!

Wile E. Coyote's (restrained) use of signs was hilarious, and I especially enjoyed the finale between Wile E. and the Road Runner, which was not only amusing but even rather touching.

The movie was directed by Dave Green and filmed by Brandon Trost. Samy Burch's script was from a story by Burch, James Gunn and Jeremy Slater, based on a magazine story by Ian Frazier.

Parental Advisory: COYOTE VS. ACME is rated PG.

A trailer is here.

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