Cancelled Coyote vs. Acme Might Make It to the Big Screen After All

Warner Bros.' previously shelved film, Coyote vs. Acme, may soon hit the screens after all, according to a report by Deadline. The Los Angeles-based independent film production and distribution company, Ketchup Entertainment, is reportedly in deep negotiations to acquire the rights to this completed movie, which was thought to be entirely scrapped.

While the deal is not finalized yet, a successful negotiation could lead to a theatrical release of Coyote vs. Acme in 2026. The film, announced in 2022 and inspired by Ian Frazier's 1990 New Yorker article of the same name, was co-written by James Gunn and features Will Forte and John Cena in lead roles. Originally slated for a mid-2023 release on Max, the project was unfortunately shelved despite being fully filmed. Since then, a dedicated campaign to save the movie has been actively pursued.

Ketchup Entertainment has a history of rescuing films from oblivion, as evidenced by their recent acquisition of Warner Bros.' The Day the Earth Blew Up: A Looney Tunes Movie. This film was similarly at risk but was saved by Ketchup Entertainment, securing it a theatrical run in the US. It marks the first fully animated Looney Tunes movie to be released in theaters, and IGN's review praised it as a "laugh-out-loud riot."

Ketchup Entertainment's portfolio also includes notable releases such as Hellboy: The Crooked Man and the Robert Rodriguez thriller Hypnotic, starring Ben Affleck. Additionally, the company co-produced Michael Mann's 2023 biopic, Ferrari.