Will Forte is applauding the “Coyote vs. Acme” cast and crew, especially since the film is indefinitely shelved by Warner Bros. Discovery.
Forte issued a social media statement (below) that cited his “confusion and frustration” over the Looney Tunes cartoon live-action hybrid movie being effectively canceled by WBD.
“Super funny throughout, visually stunning, sweet, sincere, and emotionally resonant in a very earned way. As the credits rolled, I just sat there thinking how lucky I was to be part of something so special,” Forte wrote. “That quickly turned to confusion and frustration. This was the movie they’re not going to release?”
The film was written by Oscar-nominated “May December” scribe Samy Burch and stars Forte and John Cena. “Coyote vs. Acme” completed production in New Mexico in 2022 and was set to start streaming on WBD’s platform Max on July 21. James Gunn produced the feature and also received a story credit.
The feature was at first looking to be sold to another interested studio but when the production cost was not recouped by streaming offers, WBD opted not to release the feature for tax write-off purposes.
“Look, when it comes to Hollywood business stuff, I don’t know shit about shit. Even when a movie tests very well (like ours), there’s no guarantee that it’s going to be a hit. And at the end of the day, the people who paid for this movie can obviously do whatever they want with it,” Forte continued. “It doesn’t mean I have to like it (I fucking hate it). Or agree with it. And it doesn’t mean that this movie is anything less than magnificent.”
The “Strays” actor and “SNL” alum concluded to the “Coyote vs. Acme” team, “You would be so proud of it, a movie that should be seen, but won’t. Please know that all these years and years of hard work, dedication, and love that you put into this movie shows in every frame. That’s all folks.”
Along with Forte, director David Green formerly wrote on social media, “For three years, I was lucky enough to make a movie about Wile E. Coyote, the most persistent, passionate, and resilient character of all time. I was surrounded by a brilliant team, who poured their souls into this project for years. We were all determined to honor the legacies of these historic characters and actually get them right. Along the ride, we were embraced by test audiences who rewarded us with fantastic scores. I am beyond proud of the final product, and beyond devastated by WB’s decision. But in the spirit of Wile E. Coyote, resilience and persistence win the day.”
The shelving of “Coyote vs. Acme” has led to social media backlash against WBD. Many have called for the film to be released and not go the way of “Batgirl” and “Scoob! Holiday Haunt,” other shelved properties that were scrapped for tax write-offs.
“With the re-launch of Warner Bros. Pictures Animation in June, the studio has shifted its global strategy to focus on theatrical releases. With this new direction, we have made the difficult decision not to move forward with ‘Coyote vs Acme,’” a Warner Bros. Motion Pictures Group spokesperson said when announcing the film’s cancellation. “We have tremendous respect for the filmmakers, casts, and crew, and are grateful for their contributions to the film. This was a tough decision, and we recognize and deeply appreciate the effort and time that goes into making a movie.”
