After years of development and a surprising shelving by Warner Bros., the live-action and animated film “Coyote vs. Acme” is set to premiere in theaters. The movie, which was completed in 2023, was initially shelved by Warner Bros. Discovery CEO David Zaslav in November 2023 as part of a tax loss strategy.
Following the decision to shelve the film, director Dave Green and the cast and crew expressed their disappointment. Warner Bros. later agreed to allow the film to be shopped to other distributors. Ketchup Entertainment, an independent production company, has acquired the distribution rights, paving the way for its release.
The film stars Will Forte as a struggling attorney representing Wile E. Coyote in a personal injury lawsuit against the Acme Corporation. The suit alleges that Acme is responsible for the numerous injuries the cartoon character sustained while attempting to catch the Road Runner.
“Coyote vs. Acme” will be available exclusively in movie theaters starting Friday, August 28. Its digital release is anticipated around late September or early November 2026. This timing is based on the release pattern of “The Day the Earth Blew Up: A Looney Tunes Movie,” another Ketchup Entertainment-distributed film that was also acquired from Warner Bros.
While the film is not a Netflix or Prime Video original, it may eventually become available for purchase or rental on digital platforms like Prime Video. However, it is not expected to be available for streaming on these services free of charge in the near future.
There is also a possibility that “Coyote vs. Acme” will stream on HBO Max, given that the Looney Tunes characters remain a Warner Bros. property. The film “The Day the Earth Blew Up: A Looney Tunes Movie” did eventually appear on HBO Max approximately three and a half months after its theatrical debut. If “Coyote vs. Acme” follows a similar trajectory, it could be available on HBO Max around mid-December 2026, though this remains speculative.