John Cena’s almost-canceled film is finally set to hit theatres and the trailer promises a thrilling ride
After years of back-and-forth, quiet cancellations, and plenty of raised eyebrows across Hollywood, ‘Coyote vs. Acme’ is finally stepping into the spotlight. The first trailer has dropped, and it’s not just another cartoon-inspired flick. It carries the weight of a story that almost never made it to the screen. For those who followed the drama, the film became the talk of the town in 2023 when Warner Bros. made the unexpected call to shelve the completed project. The plan was to write it off for tax purposes, a move that left many people scratching their heads. The movie was done, ready to go, and then suddenly gone. Or so it seemed at the time.
Now, with new footage released, the audience is getting its first real look at what all the fuss was about. And it’s safe to say, the premise leans into absurdity in the best possible way. At the center of it all is Wile E. Coyote, a character who has spent decades getting outsmarted by that ever-elusive Road Runner. This time, though, he’s had enough. Instead of chasing another impossible gadget, he’s heading straight to the courtroom. The trailer reveals that the Coyote hires a lawyer to sue the company responsible for all his failed contraptions. Enter Kevin Avery (Will Forte), a somewhat scrappy attorney who seems both out of his depth and oddly perfect for the job. On the opposing side stands Buddy Crane (John Cena), who represents the powerful Acme Corporation.
The trailer moves quickly, mixing live-action performances with animated characters in a way that feels playful without trying too hard. Familiar faces from the Looney Tunes world pop up along the way, including Sylvester, Tweety, and Foghorn Leghorn. There’s also a cheeky wink to the film’s troubled past. One line in the trailer boldly calls it “The Film Acme Didn’t Want You to See.” Speaking of that controversy, the project’s survival story is almost as wild as the plot itself. When news broke that the studio intended to scrap it, netizens expressed their frustration online.
However, the film didn’t stay buried for long. Eventually, it found a new path forward when Ketchup Entertainment stepped in to handle distribution. The decision to shelve the movie originally came during a period of major changes at the studio under CEO David Zaslav. Around the same time, other projects were also being reconsidered, including the cancellation of ‘Batgirl’. But now, ‘Coyote vs. Acme’ is officially ready for its theatrical debut on August 28. Behind the camera, Dave Green takes the lead as director, working from a script by Samy Burch. The story also has ties to a 1990 humor piece by Ian Frazier in The New Yorker, which imagines a similar legal battle between the unlucky Coyote and the company that never delivers on its promises.
