In 2023, Warner Bros. decided not to release Coyote vs. Acme even though the movie was complete. Fans, filmmakers, and people inside the animation industry pushed back against that decision. Three years later, the movie has a final trailer and a theatrical release date: August 28, 2026.
The long fight to release it is part of the story, but the new trailer also has to convince people that the movie itself is worth seeing. It focuses on a familiar Wile E. Coyote problem. He has spent years buying Acme products, and almost every one has failed in a painful way.
Wile E. Coyote Is Taking Acme to Court
Coyote vs. Acme mixes live action with Looney Tunes animation. Wile E. Coyote hires Kevin Avery, a struggling lawyer played by Will Forte, and sues the Acme Corporation for selling dangerous products. John Cena plays Buddy Crane, the lawyer defending Acme, and Lana Condor plays Buddy's daughter.
Wile E. Coyote has been chasing Road Runner in Looney Tunes cartoons since 1949. He rarely speaks, so most of the comedy comes from detailed plans that fail as soon as he uses an Acme product. The movie keeps that history intact while giving him a lawyer who can speak for him in court.
The court case gives the movie a clear reason to bring years of Road Runner cartoons into one story. Wile can point to rockets, traps, roller skates, and other Acme purchases as evidence. The trailer also shows that the lawsuit becomes dangerous once the company decides it would rather stop Wile than answer for what it sold him.
The official final trailer shows the courtroom comedy and the larger action scenes.
The Movie Was Almost Never Released
Warner Bros. shelved Coyote vs. Acme in November 2023 and initially planned to claim a tax write-off. The decision received immediate criticism because the movie had already been filmed and completed. Cast and crew members had made a finished project, but audiences were being told they would never have a chance to watch it.
Warner Bros. later allowed the filmmakers to seek another buyer. Ketchup Entertainment acquired the movie in 2025 and committed to a theatrical release. Ketchup is an independent film distributor, meaning it is handling the movie's release after Warner Bros. chose not to put it in theaters.
The Final Trailer Focuses on the Comedy
Director Dave Green appears to understand that people still need a funny Looney Tunes movie, not a two-hour argument about studio accounting. Wile is flattened, launched, burned, and dragged through the same kind of physical comedy used in the classic shorts. Road Runner, Foghorn Leghorn, and other familiar characters also appear.
Will Forte plays the human scenes with the same desperate energy as Wile, while John Cena treats the Acme case like a corporate war. Their rivalry gives the live-action side of the movie something to do beyond reacting to cartoon characters.
The first public trailer drew more than 25 million views, according to Deadline. Some of that attention came from people who supported the campaign to save the movie. The final trailer now asks whether that support will become ticket sales.
Coyote vs. Acme Opens in Theaters on August 28
Coyote vs. Acme opens only in theaters on August 28. The official website has ticket information, but no streaming date has been announced. The cast also includes Eric Bauza as the voice of Wile E. Coyote and Road Runner.
The theatrical release gives audiences a chance to judge the finished movie for themselves. It also puts real pressure on the people who said they would support it after the cancellation. Online interest helped keep the movie visible, but its opening weekend will show how many of those supporters are willing to buy a ticket.
Release information is available on the official Coyote vs. Acme website.
A movie that was nearly hidden from the public is now one month away from opening. Are you interested because the trailer looks funny, or because you want the decision to save the movie to succeed?
