Age Recommendation: Whatever age you would think it appropriate to show your child a Looney Tunes cartoon.
Coyote Vs Acme is a film that shouldn’t exist.
In 2023, a year after the film was already in the can, Warner Brothers and David Zaslav, in their infinite wisdom, decided that the first interesting idea around the Looney Tunes IP in 30 years would be better off as a scrapped tax write-off. When the internet saw this film pop up on the filings, inquiries were made, and soon demand for the film skyrocketed. Despite Coyote vs Acme testing extraordinarily well with test audiences, it took Ketchup Studios shelling out $50 million for the distribution rights to save this film from being lost forever, and to them I can truthfully say “Thank you”.
Coyote vs Acme is a love letter to the Looney Tunes. Having been raised on them, it was so refreshing to see this beloved IP treated with love and respect, as it hasn’t been since Who Framed Roger Rabbit or perhaps the first Space Jam. The film follows the simple premise of the New Yorker article from the 1990’s, where Wile E. (short for Ethelbert) Coyote sues Acme for continuously selling him faulty equipment during his Sisyphean efforts to catch the Roadrunner.
The movie makes the tale of Sisyphus a major point throughout and, shockingly, manages to extract much more meaning from it than I anticipated. I found myself getting emotionally invested in Wile’s struggle to the point where I identified with it to some capacity and felt sympathetic. The clear message of the benefit of perseverance through continued failure is something that all the faithful should be able to identify with, and a message that Coyote vs Acme portrays with dignity and honor. The friendship and respect between the Roadrunner and Coyote is also expanded upon to heartwarming depth, adding a nice sentimental layer to an already enjoyable story.
All of this going on in the background of a kids movie makes it all the more enjoyable for the adults, and has its fair share of Roger Rabbit-style humor without being scandalous for children. The jokes are simple enough that they land with kids, but elaborate enough to make adults laugh as well. Tons of references are made towards media for adults (a lot of Better Call Saul), adding a fun layer of easter eggs without alienating the child audience.
The attention to detail with characters and casting is perhaps the strongest part of this film. Deep character dives are done, such as the Peter Lorre characterization (which hasn’t been seen since the 1950’s), Gossamer, and Ms. Prissy make cameos that remind you of the talent that Chuck Jones and company had in character creation. The casting in this film (both animated and live action) was great. Foghorn Leghorn sort of steals the show on the animated front, being a fantastic good ol’ boy-style villain, while John Cena is able to ham it up to hilarious levels as the primary antagonist. Will Forte is hysterical as a knock-off Saul Goodman, Lana Condor plays a great aspiring law student, and Martha Kelly (the receptionist in Better Call Saul) crushes the dry receptionist gag effortlessly.
Taking inspiration and liberties from great films such as The Insider and A Few Good Men, Coyote Vs Acme is the surprise underdog hit of 2026 that has so much more to offer than cheap slapstick. The film is first and foremost made for Looney Tunes fans, by Looney Tunes fans. It offers an endearing look at one of the most iconic duos in the history of cartoons, and is an absolute joy that can be appreciated by the whole family. I will be seeing it again and buying it on physical media when available.
Wow, the last time I looked this movie was cancelled! This is amazing
Woohoo! Can't wait to see it!