Wile E. Coyote is finally getting his day in court—and in movie theaters—after his nearly cancelled film was saved for a nationwide theatrical release.
For decades, Wile E. Coyote has tried and failed to catch the elusive Road Runner using elaborate products ordered from the Acme Corporation. In the upcoming hybrid live-action and animated movie Coyote vs. Acme, the iconic cartoon character decides he has had enough. Instead of building another dangerous trap, Coyote hires a down-on-his-luck lawyer, played by Will Forte, to sue Acme for selling him defective products that constantly result in injuries.
The story takes place in a world where cartoon characters and humans live and work side by side. Featuring appearances from classic Looney Tunes favorites like Bugs Bunny and Foghorn Leghorn, the film uses absurd comedy to poke fun at large modern corporations that make false promises to their customers.
The film's path to the big screen was unusually complicated. Parent company Warner Bros. Discovery originally planned to shelve the fully completed movie in order to claim a tax write-off. This decision sparked widespread criticism from animation fans and filmmakers, who accused the studio of sacrificing artistic work for financial gain.
However, independent distributor Ketchup Entertainment stepped in to acquire the distribution rights. Thanks to the deal, Coyote vs. Acme will officially launch in theaters on August 28, allowing audiences to see Wile E. Coyote take on his biggest opponent yet.