John Cena’s “Coyote vs Acme,” a live-action/CG animation hybrid movie, was put on the shelf by Warner Bros. after spending $70 million on it. However, it may finally be getting a release.
Several major studios, including Netflix, Amazon, and Paramount, expressed interest in acquiring the shelved “Coyote vs. Acme” film, with Paramount offering a theatrical release. However, Warner Bros. set a firm, non-negotiable asking price of $75-80 million, threatening a $35-40 million tax write-off if no buyer met their demand.
This “take it or leave it” stance prevented any counteroffers from the interested studios. Deadline.com reports Gareth West’s distributor-financier Ketchup Entertainment is negotiating an all-rights acquisition in the $50M range for it.
Ketchup previously rescued the same studio’s The Day the Earth Blew Up: A Looney Tunes Movie. While the agreement remains tentative, negotiations are progressing positively, and if finalized, “Coyote vs. Acme” is slated for a 2026 theatrical release.
The film features Cena as the CEO of Acme Corporation, the company whose products Wile E. Coyote famously uses in his perpetual, and hilariously unsuccessful, pursuit of the Road Runner. Despite its initial shelving, there’s renewed hope that the film will find a distributor and reach audiences.
