Wile E. Coyote in a scene from “Coyote vs. Acme.”
Ketchup Entertainment
Coyote Vs. Acme, a Looney Tunes animated/live-action hybrid starring Will Forte, Lana Condor and John Cena, is heading into its opening weekend with raving reviews from critics.
The film, which was close to becoming permanently shelved by Warner Bros. as a tax write-off but was acquired for distribution by Ketchup Entertainment, plays in preview screenings on Thursday before opening in theaters nationwide on Friday.
In the film, Wile E. Coyote, after decades of falling short in his dogged pursuit of the Road Runner, files suit against the Acme Corporation since all of the contraptions and weapons created by the conglomerate that he uses to catch the speedy bird have blown up in his face — sometimes quite literally.
Wile E. Coyote is represented by a small-potatoes attorney Kevin Avery (Forte) — think Bob Odenkirk’s Saul Goodman, except he represents cartoon characters who are wronged — while Cena plays Buddy Crane, Kevin’s fellow Harvard Law School graduate who is Acme’s chief legal counsel.
Condor plays Kevin’s niece and law firm associate, Paige, while Eric Bauza voices several classic Looney Tunes characters featured in the film, including Road Runner (Beep beep!), Bugs Bunny, Elmer Fudd, Daffy Duck, Porky Pig, Foghorn Leghorn and Tweety. James Gunn, Jeremy Slater and Samy Burch wrote the story for Coyote vs. Acme, while Burch penned the screenplay. Rated PG, Coyote vs. Acme is directed by Dave Green.
Early reviews for Coyote vs. Acme were posted on Rotten Tomatoes on Aug. 12, earning a 94% “fresh” critics’ score based on 31 reviews. A second wave of reviews was posted on RT on Aug. 26, and the critics’ score rose to 95% based on 138 reviews.
RT’s Critics Consensus for Coyote vs. Acme reads, “A daffy satire that’s equal parts heart and wily humor, Coyote vs. Acme makes a triumphant case for the Looney Tunes’ modern relevance with a sense of good-natured mischief that’d make even Bugs Bunny bow.”
RT’s Audience Summary and Popcornmeter score based on verified user ratings are still pending.
What Are Individual Critics Saying About ‘Coyote Vs. Acme’
Odie Henderson of the Boston Globe is among the top critics on RT who have given Coyote vs. Acme a “fresh” score in the newest wave of reviews posted on the site. Henderson writes on RT, “The best part of all is that Coyote vs. Acme is a superb piece of filmmaking, a loving tribute to the most hapless of all Looney Tunes characters and the many fans who love him.”
Amy Nicholson of the Los Angeles Times also awards Coyote vs. Acme a “fresh” score on RT, writing, “Wile E. Coyote isn’t asking for a handout. If anything, he’s a true believer in the American Dream, willingly and literally breaking his back to put food on his table.”
G. Allen Johnson is also a fan of Coyote vs. Acme, writing in his “fresh” RT review summary, “Directed by Dave Green, Coyote vs. Acme is right up there with the best of live-action/animation hybrids.”
Adam Graham of the Detroit News also deems the film fresh, writing on RT, “Coyote vs. Acme is executed so well that viewers may even feel themselves emotionally invested in Coyote’s never ending pursuit of the Road Runner.”
In her “fresh” take on Coyote vs. Acme for the Observer (UK), Wendy Ides writes on RT, “This is exactly the breath of fresh air — or perhaps the bundle of cartoon dynamite — that family audiences need right now.”
Coyote vs. Acme also won over Danny Leigh of the Financial Times. Leigh writes in his “fresh” RT review summary, “The presence of people slows the hallmark manic Looney Tunes pace … But much about the story is genuinely sweet — and subversively clever.
Mark Kennedy of The Associated Press is among the top critics on RT who give Coyote vs. Acme a “rotten” score, simply writing, “What’s up, doc? No, really, we need a script doc.”
Kevin Maher of The Times (UK) isn’t a fan of Coyote vs. Acme, either. Maher writes in his “rotten” RT review summary, “It is laggy, messy and no better than the similarly lethargic effort from 2003, Looney Tunes: Back in Action.”
Wile E Coyote, Lana Condor and Will Forte in “Coyote vs Acme.”
Ketchup Entertainment
‘Coyote Vs. Acme’ – A Mini-Review
The majority of Rotten Tomatoes’ critics got it right with Coyote vs. Acme — the film is a wonderfully nostalgic thrill ride back to the world of Looney Tunes. In short, the film perfectly captures what made the classic cartoons so great while seamlessly melding the story with contemporary issues like corporate greed and disregard for the masses. At the same time, strikes a perfect balance and manages to be entertaining and not overbearing or preachy.
Most of all, though, Coyote vs. Acme makes you feel for Wile E. Coyote in a way you’ve never felt for him before, showing that it is indeed possible to teach an old wolf new tricks.
Coyote vs. Acme, for obvious reasons, also hearkens back to director Robert Zemeckis’ 1988 live-action and animated hybrid classic Who Framed Roger Rabbit, as director Dave Green creates a society populated by humans and Looney Tunes characters feel real.
Will Forte, Lana Condor and John Cena are completely committed in their efforts to bring the wild world of Wile E. Coyote and the Road Runner to life; but it is the sheer brilliance of Eric Bauza and his channeling of Mel Blanc’s voice performances of the original Looney Tunes characters that makes the movie complete.
Funnily enough, the movie about a lawyer representing victims of cartoon violence is loaded with, well, cartoon violence. However, the outlandishness of the cartoon mayhem is hardly offensive and is just as much a hoot to watch as it was on Saturday mornings decades ago. It’s great to see that Looney Tunes hasn’t lost its sense of style in these changing times, and perhaps it was that refusal to adapt that made the film susceptible to being permanently shelved.
Instead, Ketchup Entertainment — which also distributed Warner Animation’s The Day the Earth Blew Up: A Looney Tunes Movie in 2024 — stepped up again to save the day for what is arguably one of the most entertaining films of 2026 that should play well for kids of all ages.
Coyote vs. Acme plays in Thursday previews before opening in theaters nationwidew on Friday.
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