Coyote Vs. ACME Will Be In Theaters!

Ketchup Entertainment will release long awaited Coyote vs. ACME film.

Ending March with a little bit of good news. 

The long awaited Warner Bros. film featuring The Roadrunner and Wile E. Coyote (known as the Coyote) is going to be released in 2026.

Warner Bros. Animation announced they will license the Looney Tunes characters to Ketchup Entertainment.

Coyote vs. ACME is an upcoming American live-action animated legal comedy film directed by Dave Green with a screenplay by Samy Burch from a story by Burch, James Gunn, and Jeremy Slater. The film is based on the 1990 The New Yorker magazine article "Coyote v. Acme" by Ian Frazier, which itself is based on the cartoon character Wile E. Coyote and the Acme Corporation from the Looney Tunes and Merrie Melodies series of cartoons. The film's cast includes John Cena, Will Forte, Lana Condor, P. J. Byrne, Tone Bell, Martha Kelly, and the voice of Eric Bauza.

Bauza is the voice of Wile E. Coyote, Bugs Bunny, Daffy Duck, Porky Pig, Sylvester and others.

Forte will also have voice roles besides his live action role.

Development began in August 2018 with Chris McKay as producer and Jon and Josh Silberman writing the screenplay. Green was hired to direct in December 2019, and Burch, Slater, and Gunn joined the following year. Cena, Forte and Condor were cast in early 2022. Live-action filming took place in New Mexico from March to May 2022.

The Will Forte comedy is a go.

Warner Bros. Discovery initially shelved Coyote vs. ACME in November 2023 to obtain a tax write-off, but later reversed their decision and allowed the filmmakers to seek other distributors following public backlash. After several unsuccessful negotiations with various distributors, Ketchup Entertainment acquired the rights in March 2025. The film is set to be released in 2026, making it the third Looney Tunes film to not be distributed by Warner Bros. Pictures domestically after Bugs Bunny: Superstar and The Day the Earth Blew Up: A Looney Tunes Movie.

Deadline reported that Ketchup Entertainment was in talks to acquire all rights to the film from Warner Bros. for approximately $50 million, following its acquisition of the North American distribution rights to The Day the Earth Blew Up: A Looney Tunes Movie. If negotiations are proven successful, the film would be scheduled for a theatrical release in 2026. On March 31, Deadline and Ketchup Entertainment confirmed that the sale had been closed, with a statement from Ketchup's CEO reading, "We're thrilled to have made a deal with Warner Bros. Pictures to bring this film to audiences worldwide. [The film] is a perfect blend of nostalgia and modern storytelling, capturing the essence of the beloved Looney Tunes characters while introducing them to a new generation. We believe it will resonate with both longtime fans and newcomers alike."