Another Warner project that goes straight to the drawer. The studio has completely scrapped Coyote vs. Acme, a film starring John Cena. The development of the movie began in 2018, and there was even a release date set for July 21, 2023, the same as Barbie and Oppenheimer. However, Warner’s plans for Coyote vs. Acme changed drastically, and well… there is no longer a movie.
The practice of scrapping films that have not yet been released is not something new for Warner. Just over a year ago, the company shelved Batgirl (with a budget of $90 million) and Scoob! Holiday Haunt. Like Coyote vs. Acme, all these films had received approval from the previous leadership at the studio. However, for Bill Damaschke, the new leader of Warner Animation Group, there is no longer room for the Coyote movie to see the light of day.
This was explained by a spokesperson for Warner Bros. Motion Picture Group in a statement issued by the studio: “With the relaunch of Warner Bros. Pictures Animation in June, the studio has shifted its strategy to focus on theatrical releases […] with this new direction, we have made the difficult decision not to move forward with Coyote vs. Acme.”
On the other hand, Dave Green, the director of Coyote vs. Acme, also explained his perspective on his X profile (formerly known as Twitter). He states that he is “devastated” by Warner’s final decision and praises the team behind the film, who “had poured their hearts into this project for years.”
The filming of Coyote vs. Acme concluded in May 2022, so it can be inferred that the project was well advanced. However, not even the prospect of recovering part of the budget ($70 million) has motivated Warner to release it in any form.
The plot of Coyote vs. Acme was certainly intriguing. It was based on an article written by Ian Frazer for The New Yorker in the 1990s. In the storyline, the Coyote, fed up with none of ACME’s inventions working in his pursuits against the Road Runner, decides to take them to court.
