Coyote Vs. Acme director Dave Green says he’s grateful for the massive outpour of support after the film’s cancellation, as it led to its eventual release.
“It was crazy because, I would say in that time period, I really truly never felt alone because there were so many people, friends, voices online, other filmmakers, people who were fans of these characters just speaking out in this way,” Green tells GamesRadar+. “It was really kind of a miracle. I would say that myself and the entire filmmaking team, actors, animators, musicians, crew members from Albuquerque… we all felt very together in this, and that never made it feel like a lonely process.”
“It did always give us crazy hope that someday it would be seen somehow ’cause we felt like forever was a really long time,” continues Green. “We felt like someday, somehow, it would be seen. And I think what we saw was really, like, a communal pushing a boulder up a hill. It’s led us to this moment today where the movie is unbelievably coming out in theaters and is able to be shared with people theatrically, which is, of course, the absolute dream, dream way to see the movie and dream way to present the movie.”
A movie based on the 1990 non-fiction New Yorker article Coyote Vs. Acme by Ian Frazier was announced back in 2018. Filming was completed in 2022, with a release date set for 2023. Shortly after completion, however, the $72 million film was shelved by Warner Bros. for a $30 million tax write-off, along with the animated movie Scoob! Holiday Haunt and the live-action DC movie Batgirl. Initially, Warner Bros. prevented the movie from being shopped to other studios for released. Luckily, the cancellation of Coyote Vs. Acme caused a massive internet uproar, which extended to real-life protests… the most notable being a man who wore a Wile E. Coyote suit and stood outside of the Warner Bros. studio lot holding up a sign that said “Release me!”
Warner Bros. eventually allowed Coyote Vs. Aceme to be purchased, with the studio reaching a deal with Ketchup Entertainment in 2025 to obtain distribution rights. The movie, which is a funny and heartwarming tale, currently sits at a 96% on Rotten Tomatoes.
Coyote vs. Acme hits theaters on August 28, 2026. For more, check out our guide to all the upcoming movies heading your way.