Shelved 'Coyote vs. Acme' will finally get a theatrical release

Scrapped Looney Tunes movie Coyote vs. Acme will officially see the light of day, as Ketchup Entertainment has reportedly bought the worldwide rights to the film from Warner Bros.

Announced by the film production and distribution company on Monday (per Deadline), the news marks a happy ending for a grim entertainment saga that kicked off back in November 2023, when Warner Bros. scrapped the completed movie in favor of a tax cut. The same fate befell other completed Warner Bros. films like Batgirl and Scoob!: Holiday Haunt, setting a grim precedent for the entertainment industry.

Ketchup Entertainment has not yet posted the news on its own social media accounts or website.

In Feb. 2024, The Wrap reported that Warner Bros. was looking to sell the film to other companies like Netflix and Amazon, only to reject their offers. Coyote vs. Acme's new home, Ketchup Entertainment, was also behind the release of 2024's The Day the Earth Blew Up: A Looney Tunes Movie, another Looney Tunes film that Warner Bros. decided to shop around instead of releasing.

Coyote vs. Acme, now reportedly set for a 2026 release, blends animation and live-action, with actors like Will Forte and John Cena starring alongside animated Looney Tunes characters. Directed by Dave Green and written by May December screenwriter Samy Burch, the film centers on Wile E. Coyote's quest to sue the Acme Corporation for selling him shoddy products.

"We’re thrilled to have made a deal with Warner Bros. Pictures to bring this film to audiences worldwide," Ketchup Entertainment CEO Gareth West said in a March 31 statement, published by Deadline. "Coyote vs. Acme 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."