COYOTE VS. ACME has had a storied history. The film was written in 2019 and filmed in 2022, but despite early buzz about the film’s interesting plot, Warner Bros. shelved the movie in 2023 for a tax write-off. But that’s not where the story stopped. Fans got wind of the studio’s money-saving scheme and took to the streets, picketing outside of the studio and demanding Warner Bros. release the film so another distributor would pick it up. And thanks to Ketchup Entertainment, COYOTE VS. ACME has now been released four years later. More than anything, I’m happy to report that all of the fan excitement and grassroots advocacy were worth it because this movie is chaotically fun, with the clever humor and wily entertainment you come to expect in a Looney Tunes movie.
Similar to WHO FRAMED ROGER RABIT, this film combines live-action and animation into a really fun package. It starts somewhere in New Mexico with Wile E. Coyote down on his luck. He is frustrated that after so many attempts, he still cannot catch the Road Runner. But lucky for him, he sees an ad for an Albuquerque lawyer who sues ACME for damages of faulty equipment. So he heads to the big city with all of his failed machinery to try to get restitution. Little does he know, the lawyer in question, Kevin (Will Forte), is pretty lazy. He’s figured out how to game the system by sending in small claims to ACME and in turn getting small settlements. He tries to keep the operation small so ACME won’t bother to stop it. Little does he know, Wile E. has his sights set on a much bigger settlement… and he’s still after that pesky Road Runner too.
Normally this is where I talk about the acting, but this film is nothing without its fantastic script, written by Samy Burch, who is quickly becoming one of my favorite screenwriters. She caught my attention with MAY DECEMBER (2025) and her work on this film shows her diversity. I loved that there was a healthy mix of reverence for the Looney Tunes we know and love, especially the love/hate relationship between Wile and the Road Runner. But there was also a fun satirical note to it all too, serving as a commentary on consumerism and the dangers of capitalism/corporate monopolies. There is a lot of punch packed into this film, but also a lot of heart.
It’s important to note that despite its PG rating, COYOTE VS. ACME should not really be seen as a kid’s movie as much as it is a family movie; it will appeal to all ages. Kids will enjoy the film because it is packed with silly Looney Tunes moments, though they probably won’t understand all of the more impactful themes. Fans of Looney Tunes will also love all of the inside references throughout… some are sprinkled, some are sledgehammered. My favorite was at the very beginning of the movie where Warner Bros. is highlighted as an ACME company, which is super meta when you think about the theme of the film and its history with the studio nearly wiping it from existence. I imagine you will uncover more and more with multiple rewatches.
I am so happy the public saved COYOTE VS. ACME because it is a creative, energetic film that is hard not to love. The fact that the film was almost erased makes its distribution feel like a victory. It will be interesting to see if the film’s box office does well and shows with dollars that corporate attempts to dampen art to help their yearly taxes aren’t going to cut it. If we are going to continue to have films centered around known intellectual property, I hope they continue to be as charming as this one.
My Review: B+