Warner Bros. Discovery shelves completed Looney Tunes hybrid "Coyote vs. Acme"
"Coyote vs. Acme," a $70 million live-action/animation film, was completed but not released after Warner Bros. Discovery's new leadership opted to write it off, along with other shelved projects.
Warner Bros. Discovery has not released the $70 million live-action/animation hybrid "Coyote vs. Acme," despite the film being finished three years ago. The movie, which blends real-world settings with classic Looney Tunes characters, was among a group of completed projects—including "Batgirl" and "Scoob! Holiday Haunt"—that the studio’s new chief executive, David Zaslav, decided to shelve and treat as a tax write-off.
The film follows Wile E. Coyote, portrayed by Will Forte, as he hires a personal-injury lawyer after repeated failures with Acme products. Together with the lawyer’s niece, played by Lana Condor, they investigate a conspiracy involving the Acme Corporation. The story incorporates courtroom drama and attempts to capture the humor of the original cartoons while placing them in a contemporary setting.
Distributor Ketchup Entertainment later acquired the rights to the movie, expressing interest in releasing it to audiences. The decision to withhold the film reflects the studio’s assessment of its commercial prospects, noting that a Looney Tunes title without major celebrity tie-ins may struggle to reach the $140 million box-office threshold needed to break even.
"The film is a live-action/animation hybrid that aims to retain the essential soul of the Looney Tunes characters while delivering a new comedic narrative," a spokesperson for Ketchup Entertainment said.
Industry observers have noted that the shelving of completed projects is not uncommon when studios reassess financial expectations, though it has drawn criticism from fans of the franchise.