Updated August 21, 2026: Early reviews for “Coyote vs. Acme” are in, and critics are raving. Full reception details below, with our original release coverage preserved further down.
The Reviews Are In: A Near-Perfect Score
“Coyote vs. Acme” has landed to overwhelmingly positive reviews, sitting at 94% on Rotten Tomatoes as more critic verdicts continue rolling in, after opening as high as a perfect 100% with the earliest reviews counted. The Hollywood Reporter’s Frank Scheck called it “a hilarious delight, one of the best live-action/animation films ever,” while Deadline’s Pete Hammond went even further, calling it “the best animated/live-action hybrid since Robert Zemeckis’ classic Who Framed Roger Rabbit.”
Looper’s review praised the film’s sheer comedic density, writing that “measuring by sheer laughs per minute, Coyote vs. Acme is the funniest film of 2026 so far.” That kind of reception, especially for a film that nearly never reached theaters at all, has turned the film’s release into one of the more unexpectedly celebrated theatrical comebacks of the year.
Why the Reviews Matter So Much Here
Given the film’s turbulent path to release, this critical reception carries extra weight beyond a typical review cycle. Warner Bros. Discovery’s original decision to shelve the completed movie for a tax write-off implied the studio saw little commercial or creative value in it; the response from critics now suggests that assessment badly undersold the finished product. That gap between the studio’s original judgment and the reviews now coming in has become as much a part of the film’s story as the Looney Tunes courtroom comedy itself.
Original Release Coverage
“Coyote vs. Acme” is finally reaching theaters on August 28, closing out one of the strangest sagas in recent studio history. The live-action/animated legal comedy — starring John Cena, Will Forte, and Lana Condor — was nearly killed off entirely by Warner Bros. for a tax write-off before being rescued and sold to a new distributor.
What Is Coyote vs. Acme About?
The film follows Wile E. Coyote as he hires a down-on-his-luck lawyer, Kevin Avery (Will Forte), to sue the Acme Corporation over the years of faulty, catastrophically dangerous products it sold him in his endless pursuit of the Road Runner. John Cena plays Buddy Crane, Acme’s slick corporate lawyer, with P.J. Byrne as fellow Acme attorney Bill Pellicano and Lana Condor as Kevin’s sharp legal-assistant niece, Paige Avery. The premise flips the classic Looney Tunes chase into a courtroom battle, blending traditional animation for Coyote with live-action human characters.
The Film’s Bizarre Journey to Release
“Coyote vs. Acme” was originally set for a July 2023 release before being pulled from Warner Bros.’ schedule so “Barbie” could take that date. Then, in November 2023, Warner Bros. Discovery announced it planned to cancel the film’s release entirely, despite it being fully completed, in order to claim a reported $30 million tax write-off. That decision sparked significant backlash from fans and industry figures. Four days later, the studio reversed course and agreed to let the filmmakers shop the completed movie to other distributors instead of shelving it permanently.
How the Film Found a New Home
In March 2025, Ketchup Entertainment entered negotiations to buy the distribution rights from Warner Bros. for a reported $50 million, and the deal ultimately went through. That set the film on a path to its now-confirmed August 28, 2026 theatrical release, nearly three years after its originally planned debut. New footage debuted at Comic-Con, with the finished trailer taking direct digs at Warner Bros. over the film’s chaotic path to release.
The Cast Bringing the Legal Comedy to Life
Will Forte, best known for “MacGruber” and “Saturday Night Live,” leads as Kevin Avery, Coyote’s scrappy human lawyer. John Cena plays Acme’s polished opposing counsel, giving the film a recognizable comedic foil, while Lana Condor rounds out the central trio as Kevin’s niece and legal assistant. The mix of a Looney Tunes legend, a WWE-star-turned-actor, and rising comedic talent gives the film a broader crossover appeal than a typical animated legacy property relaunch.
Why This Release Matters
Beyond the film itself, “Coyote vs. Acme” has become a symbol of the industry-wide debate over studios shelving finished projects purely for tax purposes, a practice that drew intense criticism when Warner Bros. Discovery first floated killing the movie. Its theatrical release is being watched almost as closely for what it represents — a completed film that fans and filmmakers successfully fought to save — as for the Looney Tunes courtroom comedy itself.
Blending Animation and Live Action
Wile E. Coyote and the film’s other Looney Tunes characters appear in traditional animation, composited into live-action settings alongside the human cast — a technique with a long history in Hollywood, from “Who Framed Roger Rabbit” to “Space Jam.” That approach lets the film lean fully into classic Looney Tunes slapstick, with Coyote’s Acme gadgets malfunctioning in spectacularly over-the-top ways, while still giving Cena, Forte, and Condor a grounded courtroom setting to play their legal-comedy scenes against. Early trailer reactions have specifically praised how seamlessly the animated and live-action elements are blended compared to past attempts at the format.
What to Expect at the Box Office
With a nearly three-year gap between completion and release, “Coyote vs. Acme” arrives with an unusual amount of built-in awareness — much of it tied to the shelving controversy rather than traditional marketing. That could cut either way at the box office: curiosity about a film that was almost never released may drive early ticket sales, but the extended delay has also given plenty of time for initial hype from the original 2023 announcement to cool off. Its August 28 slot puts it in the late-summer window, competing for family audiences against whatever else is still running from the summer blockbuster season.
Frequently Asked Questions
When does Coyote vs. Acme release in theaters?
“Coyote vs. Acme” opens in U.S. theaters on August 28, 2026.
How did Coyote vs. Acme’s reviews turn out?
Overwhelmingly positive. The film holds a 94% score on Rotten Tomatoes, with critics from The Hollywood Reporter and Deadline calling it one of the best live-action/animation hybrids since “Who Framed Roger Rabbit.”
Why was Coyote vs. Acme almost cancelled?
Warner Bros. Discovery planned to shelve the completed film in November 2023 to claim a reported $30 million tax write-off, before reversing course days later and allowing it to be sold to another distributor.
Who stars in Coyote vs. Acme?
Will Forte, John Cena, and Lana Condor lead the cast, with Wile E. Coyote suing the Acme Corporation in a live-action legal comedy.
For more Comic-Con reveals from this year, check out our coverage of Spaceballs: The New One and Rick Moranis’s surprise return. Source: Variety, Coyote vs. Acme release date and distribution report.
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