From Studio Vault to Big Screen: Coyote vs. Acme Crawls Out of the Grave
Let's just call it what it is: this movie should've been dead.
Back in late 2023, Coyote vs. Acme wasn't just shelved—it was buried. Warner Bros. tossed it into the vault alongside Batgirl and Scoob! Holiday Haunt, all casualties of the studio's tax write-off era. We were told it was final. Irreversible. The kind of decision you make when your CFO has more creative input than your filmmakers.
But here we are. Somehow, against all odds—and probably a lot of behind-the-scenes begging and backroom bargaining—Coyote vs. Acme is officially getting released. In theaters. For real. Mark it: August 28, 2026.
And to seal the deal, they just dropped a new poster (yep, that glorious desert imprint of Wile E. Coyote mid-crash) and a charming behind-the-scenes video straight from San Diego Comic-Con's Hall H. That's where the resurrection became official.
Coyote vs ACME behind the scenes
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Let's Rewind: How Warner Bros. Nearly Nuked Their Own Toon
To understand the drama here, we need to go back to the studio's summer of self-destruction in 2022. That's when WB axed two nearly-finished projects—Batgirl and Scoob!—for tax credits. The fan response was nuclear. Yet somehow, execs didn't learn. Fast forward to November 2023, and they tried to pull the same trick with Coyote vs. Acme.
What made this one different?
Maybe it was the pedigree. Maybe it was the Looney Tunes legacy. Maybe it was the sheer absurdity of killing a movie that reportedly tested really well with audiences. Whatever it was, people weren't having it. Actors, animators, even industry insiders who'd seen the film took to social media in defense. And not in a “hey support our work” way—in a “how dare you” kind of way.
A report from The Wrap in February 2024 blew the lid off the whole thing. WB execs—many of whom hadn't even watched the movie—were blocking potential buyers. Bad faith negotiations. Dead-end meetings. It was sabotage disguised as spreadsheet strategy.
Enter: Ketchup Entertainment (Yes, Really)
By March 2024, salvation came in the form of a distributor most people had never heard of: Ketchup Entertainment. The same company that scooped up The Day the Earth Blew Up, another orphaned animated project. They finalized the deal for Coyote vs. Acme by the end of that month—and suddenly, what looked like a write-off became a comeback.
Now we've got marketing material. A poster that doubles as a symbolic scar in the dirt. A behind-the-scenes clip that feels equal parts nostalgic and triumphant. And a firm release date—August 28, 2026—that puts this thing squarely at the tail end of summer vacation season. Smart move. Less competition, more visibility.
A Second Chance in a Post-Zaslav Landscape?
Here's the thing that sticks: this wasn't just a near-cancellation. This was a studio trying to disappear a film. It tells you everything about how broken the system can be when the suits outnumber the storytellers. And yet… here comes the coyote again. Falling off the cliff but never hitting bottom.
There's no guarantee the film will land. The Day the Earth Blew Up didn't exactly light up the box office, though it didn't have a fraction of the buzz this one does. But Coyote vs. Acme has something rare—mythology. It's not just a movie anymore. It's a survivor. An underdog. And people love an underdog, especially one drawn in classic 2D.
Check out the poster and let me know—what's your gut reaction: cult classic or corporate clean-up?
