If you’re a “Looney Tunes” fan, you’ll know the story behind “Coyote vs ACME” and its struggle for a release date. After years of uncertainty, the animated film is finally coming to theatres later this year.
On 15th April 2026 (Wednesday), “Coyote vs ACME” opened its official social media accounts before sharing the long-awaited announcement of the film’s theatrical release date. According to the official poster, the movie will be released globally on 28th August 2026 (Friday). The film follows Wile E. Coyote as he teams up with attorney Kevin Avery to sue ACME for allegedly selling him faulty products that resulted in his many failed attempts to hunt the Road Runner.
The movie stars Will Forte, John Cena and Lana Connor, with story by Samy Burch, James Gunn and Jeremy Slater, and Dave Green as director. Notably, “Coyote vs ACME” have been in development for over a decade, with production mostly complete by early 2023. However, Warner Bros. infamously shelved the film in late 2023 to obtain a tax write-off following its merger with Discovery.
Understandably, fans criticised the move, prompting the media conglomerate to reverse its decision and allow the filmmakers to seek other distributors. Ketchup Entertainment ultimately acquired the rights to the film in March 2025 for US$50 million (approximately RM198 million), beating Netflix, Amazon and Paramount. Ketchup Entertainment also has distribution rights to Warner Bros. Animation’s “The Day The Earth Blew Up”.
Funnily enough, the team behind “Coyote vs ACME” also poked fun at Warner Bros. Discovery with their first teaser. In the video, Wile E. Coyote holds his iconic picket signs to say “Happy Tax Day” and “Check your write-offs”, an obvious dig at the studio’s previous decision to shelve the movie. The teaser also announced that the film’s official trailer will be released next week.
Given how long it took for the movie to confirm a release date, it’s no surprise that fans are excited to see the movie in theatres. The movie will also premiere in Malaysia at Golden Screen Cinemas (GSC) locations.
Sources: Twitter, ScreenRant
