by Liam Ryan '27 on October 8, 2026
A&E - Film & TV
An unreliable pair of rocket boots. A catapult that shoots its user. A parachuteless parachute. Such are some of the contraptions produced by the Acme Corporation that Wile E. Coyote has employed in his futile effort to catch the Road Runner. Coyote vs. Acme asks, “What if Wile E. Coyote was so fed up that he sued Acme for their defective devices?” This wacky courtroom conceit might seem bewildering for a Looney Tunes movie. However, the legal drama framework provides ample room for cartoon stalwarts like Foghorn Leghorn, Tweety Bird, Bugs Bunny, and the titular coyote to shine.
But not all of the film’s characters are animated. Coyote vs. Acme mixes its stylistically rendered computer animation with live action, in a fashion reminiscent of Who Framed Roger Rabbit and Space Jam. Will Forte plays Coyote’s’s less-than-inspiring lawyer, Kevin Avery, someone jaded by the legal process and resigned to settling cartoon injury lawsuits for paltry sums instead of risking failure in court. Once unwittingly roped into litigation by Coyote, he is tasked with taking on his college rival and Acme’s chief legal counsel, Buddy Crane, portrayed by John Cena. In a movie filled with charming, over-the-top cartoon shenanigans, both actors hold their own and serve as excellent contrasts to the hijinks around them.
Together, these two men embody the film’s central themes: corporate distrust and the courage to try. The movie’s Acme is a shady megaconglomerate, complete with Apple-style keynote speeches and slick advertising campaigns. In service of the company, Crane pays off senators to shape the law, uses military weaponry to stop detrimental witnesses like the Road Runner from participating in the lawsuit, and conceals evidence of unethical Acme-sponsored product trials. Moreover, he does so while hypocritically invoking “what it means to be an American” and emphatically ending his opening statement with “God bless our troops.” Given this anti-corporate bent, it is hardly surprising that Warner Bros. attempted to scrap the release of the finished film as a tax write-off in 2023, before public backlash forced the studio to reverse course and shop the film to potential buyers.
The public’s refusal to give up on the project mirrors Coyote vs. Acme’s central belief that there is value in trying. Coyote’s eternal pursuit of Road Runner may not result in the accomplishment of his ultimate goal, but Coyote vs. Acme posits that there is something noble and identity-forging about the chase regardless. The Sisyphean process provides “Mr. Coyote,” as Avery often calls him, with purpose, hope, and a chance to express his creativity. Would he really be better off if he gave up? By juxtaposing Coyote’s daring-but-doomed pursuit with attorney Avery’s initially risk-averse, monotonous legal work, the film makes a strong case that a life without risk of failure is a life without purpose.
None of this is to imply that the film is perfect, or that all of its ideas are fully developed. Even at just over 100 minutes, parts of the movie drag, especially the chase scene in the film’s third act. Some have correctly pointed out that many of the film’s gags rely on reading text, which
could prove troublesome for younger viewers who would otherwise be among the film’s natural audience. One attorney, portrayed by Lana Condor, has her dialogue drastically reduced toward the end of the movie, giving the impression that her arc was truncated. And the movie sometimes tells more than it shows regarding its anti-corporate themes.
Still, it is hard to watch Elmer Fudd lead a congressional investigation or the Tasmanian Devil answer questions on the witness stand by grunting without having a smile on your face. That smile is even bigger knowing that the release of this delightful little feature was in doubt just a few short years ago. If you are a fan of the Looney Tunes franchise, a fan of offbeat comedies, someone chasing an impossible goal, or a moviegoer who simply wants to support the release of art in the face of corporate greed, Coyote vs. Acme is well worth watching and comes with a strong recommendation. After all, as Mr. Coyote demonstrates, there’s value in the try.