Coyote vs. Acme

Coyote vs. Acme is a cancelled American live-action/animated legal comedy film directed by Dave Green and written by Samy Burch from a story by Burch, James Gunn (who also served as a producer), and Jeremy Slater. The film is based on the character Wile E. Coyote and the Acme Corporation from the Looney Tunes and Merrie Melodies series of cartoons, and the 1990 magazine article of the same name published in The New Yorker by Ian Frazier. Produced by Warner Bros. Pictures Animation, the film's cast includes John Cena, Will Forte, Lana Condor, P.J. Byrne, and the voice of Eric Bauza. 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 production crew the following year. Cena was cast in February 2022, with Forte and Condor joining the cast the following month. Live-action filming took place in New Mexico from March to May 2022. Warner Bros. Discovery shelved the film in November 2023 so it could obtain a $30 million tax write-down, making it the third film to be shelved by WBD after Batgirl and Scoob! Holiday Haunt. However, public backlash led the company to reverse the decision the same month, allowing the filmmakers to shop the film to other distributors. In February 2024, following unsuccessful negotiations with several potential buyers, Warner Bros. Discovery once again considered shelving the film and claiming it as a tax loss. The film's fate is currently unclear.