Coyote Vs. Acme First Reactions Are In

The first reactions to Coyote vs. Acme have arrived.

After being shelved by Warner Bros. for a tax write-off in 2023, it was uncertain whether the movie would ever be released. A theatrical debut became possible after Ketchup Entertainment acquired the rights in 2025, paving the way for a 2026 premiere. With a blend of animation and live-action, the comedy film is centered on Looney Tunes character Wile E. Coyote being represented by attorney Kevin Avery (Will Forte) in a lawsuit against the Acme Corporation.

Now, after Coyote vs. Acme was screened at San Diego Comic-Con, critics are sharing their reactions on social media. TheWrap's Drew Taylor shared that he's "Happy to report #CoyoteVsAcme was very much worth the wait — hilarious, surprisingly, deeply heartfelt. How anyone would want to shelve a movie that brings so much joy is beyond me. Get excited. It’s the real deal."

The Mary Sue's Rachel Leishman was won over by Wile E. Coyote, while also praising the film's humor and emotion: "COYOTE V. ACME made me a Wile E. Coyote apologist and I don't understand why this movie has had such a hard time getting released!!! Hilarious, emotional, and so f***ing good."

For Tessa Smith of Mama's Geeky, the movie surpassed already high expectations, with Forte being highlighted for his performance, along with jokes predicted to become fixtures of popular culture: "Coyote vs. Acme is everything I had hoped for & more! I laughed, I cried, I cheered.... what an amazing movie that I cannot imagine not being out in this world. Will Forte is fantastic (of course) & so many of jokes will be quoted for years to come! It's PERFECT!"

Emmy Award-winning critic Jackson Murphy praised the film's ambition and how it will resonate with both child and adult audiences: "I've screened #CoyoteVsACME — a unique, ambitious, consistently unpredictable legal comedy starring a committed Will Forte and Looney Tunes characters in ways we've never seen them before. Lively for kids, but adults will enjoy the humor the most. Emotional scenes are highlights."

Tomatometer approved critic Zach Pope hailed Coyote vs. Acme for being the best Looney Tunes movie yet, acknowledging that there is a powerful message about corporatism alongside the humor and heart: "#CoyoteVsAcme is easily the best Looney Tunes. The fact that this almost never saw the light of day is absolutely mind blowing. Packed with heart, humor and overflowing with love. But beneath all the laughs is a powerful message about corporatism. Can’t wait to see again."

First reactions to movies shared on social media tend to skew more positive than negative, but nevertheless, the overwhelmingly positive response is a promising sign for Coyote vs. Acme. After years of the cast, crew, and many individuals within the entertainment industry clamoring for it to be released, the reactions further validate that it was a mistake for the film to be shelved in the first place.

The movie has come to represent a larger issue, though, which is any media, regardless of quality, being indefinitely shelved or removed from public access. Batgirl suffered the same fate as Coyote vs. Acme at the hands of Warner Bros., except the superhero film still has yet to see the light of day. Meanwhile, it has become increasingly common for certain movies and shows to be removed from streaming platforms, and in some cases, they are now no longer available to watch anywhere on streaming or via physical media.

Between the enduring popularity of Looney Tunes, what Coyote vs. Acme represents in the industry, and the positive first reactions, anticipation only continues to build. The reactions also indicate that it may have more widespread appeal than some of the other Looney Tunes movies. The franchise's most recent theatrical release, The Day the Earth Blew Up, was well-received, but struggled at the box office and did not make the kind of impact on pop culture that Space Jam did decades ago.

In addition to Forte as Kevin, the Coyote vs. Acme cast includes John Cena as Acme Corporation lawyer Buddy Cane, Lana Condor as Kevin's niece, Paige, and Luis Guzmán as the judge overseeing the trial. The movie was directed by Dave Green, with a screenplay written by Sammy Burch, and a story by Burch, Jeremy Slater, and James Gunn.

Coyote vs. Acme releases in theaters on August 28.