Coyote vs. Acme
Coyote vs. Acme is an unreleased American live-action/animated legal comedy film directed by Dave Green and written by Samy Burch, based on a story by Burch, James Gunn and Jeremy Slater. The film is based on the 1990 magazine article of the same name published in The New Yorker by Ian Frazier, which involves the character Wile E. Coyote and the Acme Corporation from the Looney Tunes and Merrie Melodies cartoons. The cast includes John Cena, Will Forte, Lana Condor, P.J. Byrne, and the voice of Eric Bauza.
| Coyote vs. Acme | |
|---|---|
| Directed by | Dave Green |
| Screenplay by | Samy Burch |
| Story by |
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| Based on | "Coyote v. Acme" by Ian Frazier |
| Produced by |
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| Cinematography | Brandon Trost |
| Edited by | Carsten Kurpanek |
| Music by | Steven Price |
Production companies |
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| Country | United States |
| Language | English |
| Budget | $70 million |
Development began in August 2018 with Chris McKay as producer and Jon and Josh Silberman writing the screenplay. Green was hired to direct in December 2019, and Burch, Slater, and Gunn joined the following year. Cena, Forte and Condor were cast in early 2022. Live-action filming took place in New Mexico from March to May 2022.
Warner Bros. Discovery shelved Coyote vs. Acme in November 2023 to obtain a $30 million tax write-down, making it the third film shelved by Warner Bros. after Batgirl and Scoob! Holiday Haunt. Following a public backlash, Warner Bros. allowed the filmmakers to shop the film to other distributors. In February 2024, following unsuccessful negotiations with potential buyers, Warner Bros. Discovery again considered shelving the film and claiming a tax loss.