Coyote vs. AcmeLooney TunesWarner Bros.Comedy
Coyote vs. Acme: The Looney Tunes Comeback That Rewards Deep-Cut Fans
From a $30 million tax write-off to a theatrical rescue, this film packs more lore and laughs per minute than any 2026 release—though its supporting cartoons don't match its star.
Source material: looper.com
The $30 Million Tax Write-Off That Became a Theatrical Release
The film was completed and ready for release, but Warner Bros. decided to cancel it entirely to claim a $30 million tax write-off, betting that a Looney Tunes movie starring John Cena, produced by James Gunn, and written by Oscar nominee Samy Burch couldn't gross that much even with glowing test scores. This decision seemed to question the executives' competency with family films and animation. After more than a year of fan complaints and protests, Ketchup Entertainment, an independent distributor that had previously handled the similarly nearly-canceled 'The Day the Earth Blew Up,' rescued the rights. Now, with Warner Bros. potentially merging with Paramount, 'Coyote vs. Acme' finally arrives in theaters on August 28, 2026, and its underdog journey mirrors the film's own theme of persistence. The release feels like an act of spite, and it's poised to become a surprise blockbuster of the summer. The fact that Ketchup took a chance shows that even a project deemed worthless by a major studio can find a champion.
John Cena's Buddy Crane Is the Human Cartoon We Needed
John Cena completely steals the show as Acme's defense lawyer Buddy Crane. He charms the courtroom with absurd displays of patriotism, and his menace reaches its peak when he threatens Tweety Bird over whether the little bird actually saw what he thought he saw. Cena, who is essentially a cartoon himself, brings a physicality and timing that perfectly matches the animated chaos around him. The review goes so far as to suggest casting this giant man as the human lead in a Muppet movie, which is high praise for any actor's ability to coexist with puppets or animation. Buddy Crane also shares a name with the crappiest Looney Tunes character, a deep cut that die-hard fans will appreciate. His physical comedy and timing outshine even the most elaborate gags, and his character's arc from smug corporate lawyer to something more keeps the legal drama engaging.
A Law Firm That Doubles as a Looney Tunes Homage
Wile E. Coyote drags the law firm Avery, Jones, & Maltese into his lawsuit against Acme, and that name is a loving homage to Chuck Jones, Mike Maltese, and Tex Avery—the creative minds behind the classic Looney Tunes. The film's lawyer Fred Avery, played by Will Forte, is used to settling every case out of court, but he gets unhappily dragged into a major suit by his determined client. His niece Paige (Lana Condor) sees a real conspiracy behind Acme's seemingly harmless products and pushes to investigate. The Albuquerque setting and the gallery of disreputable characters evoke 'Better Call Saul,' while director Dave Green cites 'The Insider' as an inspiration for the legal drama. Forte carries the film's story arc, grounding the cartoon antics in a human struggle that gives the comedy stakes. The firm's name and the character names are a love letter to animation history, ensuring that fans recognize the deep respect woven into every frame.
Dr. Lorre and the Portable Hole: Deep Cuts From the Start
From the very first scene, 'Coyote vs. Acme' shows it knows its Looney Tunes history. The animated character Dr. Lorre, voiced by Eric Bauza (who voices nearly every animated character in the film), makes his escape from an Acme factory to expose the company's dark secrets—only to be imprisoned in a portable hole. It's a brilliant use of malfunctioning cartoon products in a real-world setting, and it sets the tone for the rest of the movie. The title card that follows, 'Based on a true story,' is a joke that lands immediately. The reference to Dr. Lorre, a parody of 1930s movie stars, is a deep cut that no child today would recognize, but it signals that the film respects its roots while pushing the formula forward. This opening sequence is a promise that the humor will be pure classic Looney Tunes, mixing slapstick with clever meta-commentary, and it delivers on that promise throughout.
Coyote Looks Great, But the Supporting Cartoons Are Stiff
The visual blending of 2D and CGI in 'Coyote vs. Acme' is a mixed bag, but the strengths are undeniable. Wile E. Coyote is the best-realized 3D character, with his movements and expressions capturing the essence of the original cartoons. However, lesser characters often have a stiffness that reveals the technical limitations of the mixed approach. The interaction between the animated characters and the live-action backgrounds is spectacular, with characters convincingly occupying the same space as human actors. Yet the inconsistency in animation quality prevents the film from reaching the seamless integration of 'Who Framed Roger Rabbit.' If the gag writing, which is exceptional, had been paired with the expressive animation of 'The Day the Earth Blew Up,' you'd have an unbeatable Looney Tunes movie. As it stands, the Coyote's well-choreographed antics are so engaging that many viewers may overlook the flaws in the supporting cast, but it's a missed opportunity for greatness.
Closest Thing to Roger Rabbit Since Roger Rabbit
Comparing any live-action/animation hybrid to 'Who Framed Roger Rabbit' is daunting, but 'Coyote vs. Acme' gets closer than most. Director Dave Green understands that the success of 'Roger Rabbit' lies in its dual nature as both a cartoon comedy and a film noir, and he tries to balance Looney Tunes chaos with legal drama. The film falls short of perfection, and one of the main issues is stakes. Where 'Roger Rabbit' created serious danger for cartoons who recover easily from slapstick accidents, 'Coyote vs. Acme' is less successful in making slapstick itself a threat. Foghorn Leghorn's defense of Acme's brutality in congress makes more sense than a villain's should, muddying the central conflict. The conspiracy is funny but not completely coherent dramatically, especially when certain characters' psychologies make us question whether we should even care about the case. Those same psychologies give us something else to care about, and what the film does with those concerns is genius.
A Comedy of Deep Cuts and Classic Gags
The comedy is pure classic Looney Tunes, with the opening sequence featuring Dr. Lorre and a portable hole setting the stage. The film adapts formulas built for seven-minute shorts into a feature-length plot, respecting tradition while expanding it. Chuck Jones' rules for Wile E. Coyote and Road Runner cartoons are generally obeyed; the climax necessitates some rules bent and at least one broken, but those breaches are clever and temporary, just as Jones himself broke his own rules when it suited him. The title card 'Based on a true story' is a classic gag, and the deep-cut references to 1930s movie stars parody characters no child today has heard of. This is a film that trusts its audience to appreciate the history, and it pays off with some of the funniest moments in recent memory.
Laughs Per Minute: Unbeatable in 2026
Measuring by sheer laughs per minute, 'Coyote vs. Acme' is the funniest film of 2026 so far. 'The Invite' comes close and might be the year's best comedy overall, but that film still has to pause the laughs for serious moments. In classic Looney Tunes fashion—think Elmer finally killing the wabbit in 'What's Opera, Doc?'—even the most earnest 'we're taking this completely seriously' dramatic moments in 'Coyote vs. Acme' are still inherently funny at the same time. The underdog real-life circumstances lend further resonance to its theme of persistence and its satire of all-powerful corporations. It's not a perfect movie, but what it does well, it does so well that it feels like a work of super genius. The film respects the legacy of Chuck Jones while expanding the formula, and for anyone who thought the Looney Tunes were dead, this is proof they're just revitalized. With its combination of razor-sharp writing and perfect comedic timing, it's a must-see on the big screen.