When does 'Coyote vs Acme' come out? Release date, parents guide, and more
'Coyote vs Acme' will finally hit theaters on August 28, 2026. The live-action and animated comedy brings Wile E. Coyote into a legal battle against the company whose gadgets have repeatedly failed him. The film follows the Looney Tunes character after years of disastrous attempts to catch the Road Runner.
Missiles explode, traps fail, and bizarre inventions leave Wile E. injured. He finally decides to hold Acme accountable. Wile E. hires Kevin Avery, a human lawyer played by Will Forte. Kevin has spent years away from the courtroom and now faces a difficult case against Buddy Crane, Acme's powerful attorney, played by John Cena.
The movie also stars Martha Kelly and Luis Guzman. Guzman plays the judge overseeing Wile E.'s case. Eric Bauza voices the Looney Tunes characters. His work includes Bugs Bunny, Daffy Duck, Porky Pig, and other familiar characters from the franchise.
Director Dave Green has filled the film with references to the history of Looney Tunes. Comic-Con footage revealed a knitting mother hen on the jury and Playboy Penguin working as a courtroom sketch artist, carving a bust of Buddy Crane’s chiseled face out of ice. The movie also features an animated version of Peter Lorre, a figure who appeared in several classic Looney Tunes shorts.
The courtroom itself carries the franchise's cartoon humor. Even the judge's gavel squeaks. 'Coyote vs Acme' has its own unusual behind-the-scenes story. Warner Bros. Discovery shelved the completed film in 2023 as part of a tax write-off plan.
The move came after WBD’s leadership abandoned the previous strategy of developing films for HBO Max and shifted its focus toward theatrical releases. The decision put the movie at risk of never reaching audiences. Ketchup Entertainment stepped in and acquired the film in March 2025 for a reported $50 million.
The release announcement arrived during San Diego Comic-Con, where the cast and filmmakers turned the movie's troubled history into part of the presentation. Actor P. J. Byrne appeared as an Acme representative and jokingly tried to shut down the panel with cease-and-desist papers.
The event later showed footage from the film, including Wile E.'s first day in court. The scene mixed live-action comedy with animated characters and showed Kevin struggling against Acme's legal team. Parents should expect plenty of cartoon violence. Characters get hit by vehicles, fall from great heights, get flattened, and face explosions.
The movie includes missiles, grenades, fire, knife threats, booby traps, crushed cars, a train crash, and other slapstick action. Some scenes feature a black eye and teeth getting knocked out. The violence follows the exaggerated style of classic Looney Tunes cartoons rather than realistic action. The film is suitable for viewers aged 7 and above.
After being completed and shelved by Warner Bros. Discovery in 2023, 'Coyote vs Acme' has finally found its way back to theaters. Wile E. Coyote's fight against Acme will now reach audiences after one of the strangest release journeys for a major Hollywood film.
