History of Coyote vs. Acme in Timeline

Coyote vs. Acme is an upcoming live-action/animated legal comedy film directed by Dave Green, based on Ian Frazier's "Coyote v. Acme" and the Looney Tunes characters. The film centers on Wile E. Coyote's lawsuit against the Acme Corporation for faulty products. The screenplay is by Samy Burch, with a story by Burch, James Gunn, and Jeremy Slater. The cast includes John Cena, Will Forte, Lana Condor, P. J. Byrne, Tone Bell, Martha Kelly, and Eric Bauza as the voice of Wile E. Coyote.

1988: Film Reference

In 1988, Who Framed Roger Rabbit was released, and the creative team acknowledged it as a reference for Coyote vs. Acme's live-action interaction with animated characters.

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1990: Publication of "Coyote v. Acme"

In 1990, Ian Frazier's article "Coyote v. Acme" was published in The New Yorker magazine, serving as the basis for the film and inspired by the Wile E. Coyote character and the Acme Corporation from the Looney Tunes cartoons.

1990: Inspiration from New Yorker Article

The film, Coyote vs. Acme, draws inspiration from the fictional 1990 New Yorker article of the same name by Ian Frazier.

2017: Producer's Prior Work

In 2017, Chris McKay directed The Lego Batman Movie.

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August 2018: Wile E. Coyote Project Announced

In August 2018, Warner Bros. Pictures announced the development of a Wile E. Coyote project, titled Coyote vs. Acme, with Chris McKay as producer and Jon and Josh Silberman writing the script.

August 2018: Development Begins

In August 2018, development of Coyote vs. Acme began with Chris McKay as producer and Jon and Josh Silberman as screenplay writers.

December 2019: Dave Green Hired as Director

In December 2019, Dave Green was hired to direct Coyote vs. Acme.

December 2020: Screenwriting and Production Changes

In December 2020, Chris McKay left the Coyote vs. Acme project. Jon and Josh Silberman left their producing roles and returned to screenwriting duties alongside Samy Burch, Jeremy Slater, and James Gunn. Samy Burch received screenplay credit, based on a story from herself, Slater, and Gunn. Gunn, alongside Chris DeFaria also received final credit as producers on the film.

2021: Producer's Prior Work

In 2021, Chris DeFaria produced Tom & Jerry.

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2021: Cena and Gunn Prior Collaboration

In 2021, John Cena collaborated with James Gunn on The Suicide Squad.

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February 2022: John Cena Cast as Antagonist

In February 2022, John Cena was cast as the main antagonist in Coyote vs. Acme, playing the lawyer in defense of Acme, and the former boss to Wile E.'s lawyer. He previously worked with Gunn on DC Extended Universe (DCEU) projects.

April 26, 2022: Film Removed from Release Schedule

On April 26, 2022, Warner Bros. indefinitely removed Coyote vs. Acme from its release schedule, replacing it with Barbie.

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May 2022: Live-Action Filming Concludes

In May 2022, live-action filming for Coyote vs. Acme took place in New Mexico.

May 2022: Principal Photography Completed

In May 2022, principal photography for Coyote vs. Acme wrapped up in Albuquerque, New Mexico, with Brandon Trost as cinematographer.

November 2022: Character Confirmation: Foghorn Leghorn, Granny, Sylvester the Cat and Tweety

In November 2022, it was confirmed that Foghorn Leghorn, Granny, Sylvester the Cat, and Tweety would be in Coyote vs. Acme.

December 2022: Character Confirmation: Bugs Bunny, Daffy Duck, Elmer Fudd and Yosemite Sam

In December 2022, Bugs Bunny, Daffy Duck, Elmer Fudd, and Yosemite Sam were confirmed to be in Coyote vs. Acme.

January 2023: Character Confirmation: Porky Pig

In January 2023, Porky Pig was confirmed to be in Coyote vs. Acme. Also, Editor Carsten Kurpanek described the film as a "David vs Goliath story" tackling Wile E. Coyote's persistence against ACME Corporation's "cynical and casual cruelness of capitalism and corporate greed".

July 21, 2023: Original Planned Release Date

Coyote vs. Acme was originally planned for a theatrical release on July 21, 2023, by Warner Bros. Pictures.

November 9, 2023: Warner Bros. Announces Shelving of Completed Film

On November 9, 2023, Warner Bros. officials announced that Coyote vs. Acme was completed, but they would not release it to claim a tax loss of about $30 million. This decision drew criticism from filmmakers, animation outlets, and talent representatives.

November 13, 2023: Warner Bros. Reverses Decision

On November 13, 2023, Warner Bros. Discovery leaders reversed their decision to shelve Coyote vs. Acme and allowed filmmakers to shop the film to other distributors. Amazon MGM Studios, Apple Studios, and Netflix expressed interest in buying distribution rights.

November 2023: Coyote vs. Acme Shelved

In November 2023, Warner Bros. Discovery initially shelved Coyote vs. Acme to obtain a tax write-off, generating public backlash.

2023: Q4 Earnings Call

Warner Bros. Discovery had a Q4 earnings call in 2023.

February 9, 2024: Warner Bros. Rejects Bids for Coyote vs. Acme

On February 9, 2024, TheWrap reported that Warner Bros. Discovery rejected bids from Netflix, Amazon, and Paramount for Coyote vs. Acme, as no distributors met their asking price of $75–$80 million.

February 23, 2024: Warner Bros. Discovery Takes a Write-Down

Following their Q4 2023 earnings call on February 23, 2024, Warner Bros. Discovery took a $115 million write-down while not directly confirming the cancellation of Coyote vs. Acme.

March 10, 2024: Samy Burch Comments on Film's Fate

On March 10, 2024, Samy Burch stated at the 96th Academy Awards that conversations were ongoing with Warner Bros. regarding Coyote vs. Acme and expressed hope that it would find a home.

April 2024: Film Still Available for Acquisition

In April 2024, a Warner Bros. spokesperson told The New York Times that Coyote vs. Acme "remains available for acquisition".

May 31, 2024: Batgirl Directors Support Release

On May 31, 2024, Adil El Arbi and Bilall Fallah, directors of the cancelled Batgirl film, revealed they are friends with Dave Green and advocated for the film to be seen by an audience.

January 25, 2025: Condor Reveals "Funeral Screening"

On January 25, 2025, Lana Condor revealed that Coyote vs. Acme had a "funeral screening" when the initial cancellation news broke.

February 16, 2025: Eric Bauza Comments on Release Chances

On February 16, 2025, Eric Bauza responded to questions about the film's release chance by saying that The Day the Earth Blew Up: A Looney Tunes Movie needs to get a lot of money for Coyote vs. Acme to be released.

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March 2025: Ketchup Entertainment in Talks to Buy Film

In March 2025, Ketchup Entertainment entered talks to buy Coyote vs. Acme from Warner Bros. for $50 million and the sale closed later that month.

March 19, 2025: Ketchup Entertainment in Talks to Acquire Film

On March 19, 2025, it was reported that Ketchup Entertainment was in talks to acquire all rights to Coyote vs. Acme from Warner Bros. for approximately $50 million.