Will COYOTE VS. ACME’s Controversy Get ‘More Eyes on It’?

Published: March 5, 2026

By India McCarty

Will Forte hopes the earlier uproar regarding Warner Bros.’ cancellation of COYOTE VS. ACME will “get more eyes on it” upon release this summer.

“Extreme frustration, fiery frustration, a lot of anger, white hot anger,” Forte told Entertainment Weekly when asked what his first reaction was to the news of the movie’s shelving. “But then ultimately, that’s mixed with pride in this movie we’ve done.”

The actor continued, “And also, who knows? Everything happens for a reason, and it is certainly possible that the crazy journey that this movie is taking will help get more eyes on it, because it’s a story people know about a little bit. But I don’t think we needed this crazy journey.”

Warner Bros. cancelled the release of the fully-completed COYOTE VS. ACME in 2023 to take a $30 million tax write-off.

“I remember when I first heard that Warner Bros. was shelving it, I had not yet seen the movie,” Forte said. “I had been talking to people before and hearing about the test scores being really good, and then I was like, ‘Oh, maybe it’s not as good as they were telling me’ when it got shelved…[then] I got to see it. I love it. I was so proud of it. It was so maddening because it was this beautiful, special little movie that was something I would’ve been able to share with my kids.”

Forte, who plays Wile E. Coyote’s lawyer, voiced his anger at the movie’s cancellation, telling MovieWeb at the time, “It is such a delightful movie. It deserves so much better than it got. I can’t tell you possibly why the decision was made to not release it. But it makes my blood boil…Maybe somehow we get to see it at some point. I hope people do. I was really proud of it.”

In 2025, news broke that Ketchup Entertainment picked up COYOTE VS. ACME in a $50 million deal and would release the movie.

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“We’re thrilled to have made a deal with Warner Bros. Pictures to bring this film to audiences worldwide,” Gareth West, CEO of Ketchup Entertainment, said in a statement. “COYOTE VS ACME is a perfect blend of nostalgia and modern storytelling, capturing the essence of the beloved LOONEY TUNES characters while introducing them to a new generation. We believe it will resonate with both longtime fans and newcomers alike.”

COYOTE VS. ACME opens in theater Aug. 28, 2026.

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