Warner Bros. might have been on a winning streak with global blockbuster Barbie but it has now canned a movie version of Coyote vs Acme before it’s even been released.
The unreleased American comedy was directed by Dave Green from a screenplay written by Samy Burch, and a story by Burch, James Gunn, and Jeremy Slater.
In recent years, the Looney Tunes franchise hasn’t been too far away from screens, with Space Jam: A New Legacy only airing back in 2021.
With fans distraught over the prospect of never seeing the final product, here’s how Coyote vs Acme has endured the same end as the ill-fated Batgirl project.
Coyote vs Acme movie gets cancelled by Warner Bros.
On November 9, 2023, it was officially announced that Warner Bros. had shelved the movie adaptation of Coyote vs Acme, which had already cost about $70 million.
A crew reel for ‘COYOTE VS ACME’ has been released by a crew member following the film being shelved for a $30M tax write-off. pic.twitter.com/d755W3coM5
— DiscussingFilm (@DiscussingFilm) November 10, 2023
According to Deadline, the movie has received a $30 million tax write-off while being quietly shelved. It comes as the studio’s third cartoon casualty, following the fates of Batgirl and the animated Scoob Holiday Haunt!
What’s particularly strange is that this is only one out of the three shelved projects to be fully completed, even going as far as to test screen for audiences. Coyote vs Acme left those screenings with a respectable audience score – and if X/Twitter is anything to go by, there was real public demand for it.
“The best since Roger Rabbit is extraordinarily high praise. Can’t believe someone shelved it. How does it even make sense not to try and make a profit on it. You deduct the production cost anyway. You only pay tax on profits. If anything it would help their balance sheet?” one fan posted.
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“WB is gonna go bankrupt if it keeps making these bad decisions,” stated another.
Filmmakers who saw Coyote vs Acme have also publicly commented on the Warner Bros. news.
“COYOTE V ACME is a great movie. The best of its kind since ROGER RABBIT. It’s commercial. It tested well. The leads are super likable. It’s beautifully shot. The animation is great. The ending makes everyone fucking cry. I thought the goal of this business was to make hit movies?” said BenDavid Grabinski.
Brian Duffield also added: “I have seen this movie and it is excellent. It also tested in the high 90s repeatedly. It also had interested buyers. The people working at Warner Bros are anti-art and I hope multiple anvils drop on their heads.”
Coyote vs Acme had a voice cast including John Cena, Lana Condor, Will Forte, and P.J. Byrne.
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