Coyote vs Acme: The Film That Shouldn’t Have Been
Eliza Rowley writes, “All that backstory is to say, Coyote Vs. Acme is the movie that never should have been, and luckily is.”
(Photo credit: Yahoo.com)
10/20/2026
Eliza Rowley, Journalism Club Member
In February of 1990, an unprecedented court case took the stands—the news stands, that is. The New Yorker published an editorial by author Ian Fraiser. The title: “COYOTE V. ACME.” The article is a satirical “court transcript” of a civil court battle happening between the plaintiff–Wil E. Coyote–and the defendant–the ACME Corporation, which is a fictional company within the Looney Tunes universe. ACME produces all the “Toon Equipment” used in the cartoon characters' slapstick adventures. Wil E. Coyote is suing ACME for defective equipment, as all his attempts to catch the elusive Road Runner have failed because ACME products break, misfire, or generally don't behave as advertised.
Jumping forward two decades, Warner Bros. decided to pull this idea out of the Animaniacs Water tower and turn it into a feature film designed for theaters. James Gunn (Director of Scooby-Doo 2002) pitched the idea to Warner in 2015. Chris McKay signed on to produce in 2018 with Jon and Josh Silberman as screenwriters. Finally, Dave Green signed on to direct in 2019…and then the project suddenly ground to a screeching halt. For four years, the project stewed in developmental purgatory until Warner Bros. Discovery officially shelved it in 2023 as a tax write-off. Public backlash ensued, and much like the corporate David-and-Goliath story, Coyote Vs. Acme portrays, Warner released the rights to the film to Ketchup Entertainment, who had previously released The Day the Earth Blew Up, another Looney Tunes film, in 2024.
All that backstory is to say, Coyote Vs. Acme is the movie that never should have been, and luckily is. It was a genuinely heartfelt, tender movie about love, obsession, corporate greed, and standing for what you believe in no matter the cost. Wil E. Coyote gives a poignant, raw portrayal of perseverance and following one's dreams, even if it seems strange to others. His arc shows that the journey and the pursuit of a goal are often more fulfilling than achieving the end goal.
As alluded to above, the plot consists of Wil E. Coyote setting out for the big city (or Albuquerque, NM), in search of Avery, Jones, and Maltese, a law firm that represents Cartoon characters in civil lawsuits against the ACME Corporation. The human part of the plot mostly follows Kevin Avery (Will Forte), a down-on-his-luck personal injury lawyer who specializes in cartoon cases involving ACME products. When Wil E. tricks him into accidentally filing a claim for every ACME product ever made, the lawsuit escalates until it reaches the Supreme Court. The ACME company is run by an evil billionaire (and toon, himself), Foghorn Leghorn; his head lawyer and the second main antagonist of the movie is Buddy Crane (John Cena), a former academic rival—and current business rival—of Kevin and his employees at Avery, Jones, and Maltese.
Complicating matters is a tangle of missing whistleblowers, illegal product testing on toons, and wacky attempts on the lives of Kevin and Wil E. (Never forget this is still a Looney Toons project). The strong cast of side characters, both human and toon, have great chemistry and race at breakneck speed through the plot, trying to gather evidence and stay one step ahead of ACME as the clock ticks closer and closer to the trial. Suspense builds as the Road Runner remains AWOL and unreachable for the trial, and it becomes clear that Wil E. may have less-than-altruistic intentions. The plot twists and turns through lightning rounds of character cameos, blink-and-you-miss-it jokes, and heartfelt scenes.
Beyond the silliness and sometimes heartbreaking drama, the film offers a decent mystery and a fun family romp that parents will enjoy as much as their children. Unlike The Day the Earth Blew Up and many other more recent Looney Tunes projects, Coyote Vs. Acme captures the magic of the original shorts while bringing the project into the modern age. With the best live-action and cartoon integration since Who Framed Roger Rabbit? I highly recommend catching Coyote Vs. Acme while it is still in theaters–or even at home. If you can, support the project that never should have been, and enjoy a fun film that is a good time for all ages. Just be sure to keep some tissues nearby because you will be laughing so hard you cry and sobbing uncontrollably just a few minutes later.
