Coyote vs. Acme: Will Forte and Dave Green Discuss Its Prolonged Delay

      The story of Coyote vs. Acme feels reminiscent of its own narrative: the film centers on a corporation making calculated business choices without consideration for emotions, and in 2023, Warner Bros. Discovery chose to shelve it for a tax write-off, leaving director Dave Green, star Will Forte, and numerous others who contributed to the project heartbroken. (Green mentions that three crew members were so passionate about the film that they got tattoos of Wile E. Coyote.)

      The backlash over the film's shelving was immediate and fervent. Many of Green's filmmaking colleagues voiced their objections, as did fans who took to social media to insist on viewing the movie.

      Ultimately, Warner Bros. agreed to allow the filmmakers to seek out distribution, leading to Ketchup Entertainment picking it up for release on August 28th.

      Coyote vs. Acme is inspired by a 1990 article from The New Yorker by Ian Frazier, presented as a legal complaint where the frustrated Wile E. Coyote describes the numerous ways Acme products have failed him in his attempts to catch the Road Runner.

      The film, written by Samy Burch (May December) based on a story by Burch, Jeremy Slater, and DC Studios co-chief James Gunn, brings the lawsuit to life. Forte portrays Albuquerque attorney Will Forte (imagine a moral Saul Goodman without ambition), who, along with new hire Paige (Lana Condor), confronts Acme attorney Buddy Crane (John Cena) and his arrogant boss. Classic Looney Tunes characters appear in creative ways, akin to the style of one of the movie's influences, Who Framed Roger Rabbit.

      We spoke with Forte and Green about their postponed release, the significance of kindness, and their appreciation for Warner Bros. for ultimately making the right decision.

      **Dave Green and Will Forte Discuss the Emotional Ups and Downs of Coyote vs. Acme**

      Lana Condor, Wile E. Coyote, and Will Forte in Coyote vs. Acme. Ketchup Entertainment. – Credit: Ketchup Entertainment

      **MovieMaker:** This film kicks off with a joke at Warner Bros.' expense that also appears in the trailer. Was that joke part of the film before the tax write-off situation arose?

      **Dave Green:** Yes, definitely. We obtained permission from everyone at Warner Bros. to include that joke. They have a long history of playfully engaging with their logo. I’m sure a large legal team had to review it.

      **Will Forte:** We didn’t realize how closely we were walking the line between “art imitates life” at that point.

      **MovieMaker:** How disheartened were you—after they were amenable to the lighthearted joke, and you created a movie that poked fun at large corporations—that Warner Bros. then engaged in such corporate behavior by taking the tax write-off on your finished film?

      **Will Forte:** Disappointed is just one of many emotions I felt, and they were all amplified to the max. It was an overwhelming peak of negative feelings. I experienced no genuine positive emotions during that time.

      After viewing the film, I felt pride in it, which only added to the frustration. So, all the good emotions intensified the negative ones: I was truly disheartened, disappointed, frustrated, and angry—really angry for a while—before becoming confused, ultimately trying to push it aside.

      **Dave Green:** I’d say Will’s anger was a comforting balm for me. He, along with many of my friends and all the online supporters, truly championed the movie, making us feel like we weren’t alone in this process.

      **Will Forte:** We were brainstorming ways to encourage them to still debut the film. I suggested, "What if we released it on YouTube, and viewers could donate to charity? You might even gain more in charitable contribution write-offs than from the tax write-off." I tried to advocate for that for a while, but someone claimed it wasn’t a feasible option.

      **Dave Green:** There was a significant period when I would have been absolutely thrilled to have the movie available for viewing on an airline. Now, we are entirely ecstatic and overjoyed that people can take their families to see it on the big screen.

      **Will Forte and Wile E. Coyote in Coyote vs. Acme. Ketchup Films – Credit: Ketchup Entertainment**

      **MovieMaker:** How challenging is it to create a movie that resonates with both children and adults?

      **Dave Green:** As a kid, I recall how awful it felt when adults talked down to me. The films I truly cherished as a child—from Raiders to Beetlejuice to Tim Burton’s Batman to Ghostbusters—were family films that never condescended to children. That has always been my aim: to avoid pandering.

      I believe Looney Tunes has excelled in doing this over the years. It served as a child's introduction