Coyote vs. Acme is a welcome return of the Looney Tunes gang with lots and lots of cameos of many characters (including Daffy Duck and Bugs Bunny) with an interesting brisk comic story that should satisfy both old and young generations
The Looney Tunes crew return in 2026 and it’s a very good comeback. With a strong humorous story and great balance between action and plot development, Coyote vs. Acme is an entertaining revival with ample nostalgia and easter eggs for older generations and comedy for all.
Beginning in 1992 where cartoon characters and humans exist side by side, a scientist Dr Lorre, who works for the Acme Corporation has seemingly become disillusioned with the company and he fills a paint tin from the factory and posts it in a box. He then escapes but is captured and forced to jump into a Acme portable hole.
The film then moves forward 30 years to the New Mexico desert where Wile E. Coyote is still trying to capture the Road Runner but continues to fail badly, the most recent attempt using Acme rocket powered roller skates. Wile E. sees a TV ad for a Albuquerque personal injury firm who specialises in cases involving accidents that cartoon characters have been in while using failed Acme products. Wile E. presents the firm with the huge amount of failed Acme products he has used over the years and rather than an easily settled small case the firm accidentally begins a massive case against Acme. Wile E. and senior partner Kevin Avery (Will Forte) meet with Acme legal representatives led by Buddy Crane (John Cena) who was also a rival of Kevin at Harvard.
Rather than settling the case, as Kevin wants to, Wile E. refuses and the case must go to trial. The firm tries to subpoena the Road Runner to testify as Acme CEO Foghorn Leghorn fights to hide the company’s grubby secret.
Coyote vs. Acme is loosely based on a 1990 The New Yorker article by Ian Frazier and the story was developed by James Gunn (Guardians of the Galaxy franchise and now trying to reshape the DC Comic’s film fortunes) and Jeremy Slater (Moon Knight). The writer is Smay Burch, who was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Original Screenplay in 2023 for May December. So it shouldn’t be surprising that Coyote vs. Acme is as good as it is with this involvement. The human actors Forte, Cena, Lana Condor and the rest of the cast all perform well. Eric Bauza is excellent doing most of the character voice acting.
Coyote vs. Acme is a welcome return of the Looney Tunes gang with lots and lots of cameos of many characters (including Daffy Duck and Bugs Bunny) with an interesting brisk comic story that should satisfy both old and young generations.
Reviewed by Rob McKinnon
Rating 4 out of 5
Distributor: Pinnacle Films
