ELLY GRIMM
• Leader & Times
If you're a "Looney Tunes" fan like me, you've spent multiple decades watching the infamous Wile E. Coyote unsuccessfully chase his nemesis, Road Runner, while being foiled by many products from the Acme Corporation, including – but not limited to – rocket skates, roller skis, and a giant mousetrap, among many, many others.
Recently, a team of creative people in Hollywood took the opportunity to write a movie about what would happen if Wile E. Coyote ended up finally having enough in "Coyote vs. Acme,” which follows our hero as he enlists a billboard attorney (Will Forte) to sue the corporation for repeatedly selling him faulty products. For those who might not know, this movie has actually been the subject of some slight controversy because Warner Bros. Discovery initially shelved the film in November 2023 to obtain a tax write-off, but ultimately reversed that decision and allowed the filmmakers to seek other distributors following a lot of backlash. After several unsuccessful negotiations, Ketchup Entertainment acquired the rights for $50 million in March 2025, and the film was finally released a few weeks ago, already to quite a bit of acclaim and box office success.
To start, “Coyote vs. Acme” is so, SO much more multifaceted than it has any right to be. The typical “Looney Tunes” zaniness is there, and there were multiple moments that made me laugh out loud, but there is so much more than that. If you’re looking for a somewhat decent courtroom drama, “Coyote vs. Acme” has that. If you’re looking for discussions about corporate responsibility and ethics and how far big mega-corporations will go to get that healthy bottom line and quash anyone who brings forth legitimate concerns (which has happened in modern times), “Coyote vs. Acme” has that. If you’re looking for a redemption arc for the lead character as he finds his way back to what makes him passionate about his career, “Coyote vs. Acme” has that. Some of those themes might go over the heads of younger viewers, but “Coyote vs. Acme” is so much more than the sum of its parts, and the writing does a great job of making you legitimately feel for Wile E’s plight as he goes through the legal process. The only major complaint I have about this aspect is with the ending, which feels slightly rushed, and I wish there had been a little more exploration of the ripple effects of the case after the big climax. Overall, the writers DEFINITELY knew what they were doing when they were putting this story together, and it absolutely shows. (Take a note, Hollywood bigwigs – solid writing and storytelling will help get more butts in theater seats, I’m just saying!)
The cast is also very solid throughout. Will Forte is fantastic in the lead role as Wile E’s attorney, and he really captures that feeling of going from feeling utterly burnt out to caring about the case and finding his spark again, albeit from an unexpected source with our coyote hero. John Cena is also perfectly jerkish as the lead defense attorney for Acme, and there were multiple moments that made me feel like he definitely deserved more than an average smackdown. Eric Bauza and Candi Milo also do a great job sharing the voices for the movie’s animated characters, and they give all of them so much color and personality, which is great. The interactions between the human and cartoon characters are very well done, and the end result is almost seamless – if anyone ends up sharing some behind the scenes footage of how the cast and crew were able to accomplish that, I’m sure it’ll garner some laughs on my end. Overall, all the casting choices, human and cartoon, ended up working out VERY well.
I have to give a shoutout to the crew in charge of the animated characters’ designs, because they are VERY well done. They’re clearly being drawn in the modern era, but they still retain their charm from the multiple decades of “Looney Tunes” being in existence. I felt like the animators did especially well with Wile E’s design, because while he has ZERO spoken dialogue throughout the movie, you’re able to discern EXACTLY what he’s thinking and feeling just by the facial expressions, and the end result is absolutely wonderful to see.
Overall, I very much enjoyed “Coyote vs. Acme” and would give it a solid “A” grade, and I’m so glad the moviegoing public helped this movie see the light of day. The movie is so much more layered and multifaceted than it has any right to be for a “Looney Tunes” outing, the cast is solid on the human and cartoon sides, and the animation crew definitely deserves any recognition it gets. I’m not sure what all categories “Coyote vs. Acme” would qualify for come awards season, but I feel like it certainly deserve all the recognition it gets.
