Highlights
- Warner Bros. has shelved the film Coyote vs. Acme despite positive feedback from test audiences and a finished product, to benefit from a tax write-off.
- The film, which stars John Cena and was directed by Dave Green, was praised by those who worked on it, with many calling Warner Bros.' decision "anti-art."
- Despite the potential success of the film, Warner Bros. executives believed shelving it was the best financial decision, but this may have negative consequences for the studio's reputation among directors.
Warner Bros. has shelved Coyote vs. Acme, a hybrid live-action cartoon feature film starring John Cena and produced by James Gunn. Thanks to the crew, fans can see what the film looks like.
The $70 million project finished filming over a year ago and was even shown to test audiences, where it was received well. However, similarly to the canceled Batgirl movie, the project was shelved because WB believed that releasing the film or selling it to another distributor would wasn't worth the $30 million tax write-off they get for shelving the film. Initially, the film was scheduled for a theatrical release in July 2023 before it was removed from WB's schedule and ultimately shelved, most likely never being released to the public.
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Many people who worked on Coyote vs. Acme shared behind-the-scenes videos of the production process to give fans an idea of what the film could have looked like. One video shared by a crew member showed a behind-the-scenes look at how they filmed the live-action scenes, but that video was taken down due to a copyright claim from Warner Bros. The composer, Steven Price, shared a video of them recording a hilarious and beautiful song with their “Meep Meep” Roadrunner Choir. Dave Green, who directed the film, also released a statement.
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.
Many creatives who have seen the film or worked on the project have said Coyote vs. Acme was wonderful, hilarious, and beautifully animated. Many people have called Warner Bros.' business model anti-art and find it ridiculous that a film so many people worked hard on and tested so well would be unable to make more than they would get from the tax write-off. Warner Bros. Discovery CEO David Zaslav is earning the most criticism from online fans and Hollywood figures.
Fans won’t know what went into the consideration for shelving this project. Warner Bros. executives said Batgirl was so bad it was unreleasable, but that wasn't true of Coyote vs. Acme. The project was finished and well received by the people who saw it. Additionally, Cena is always a box office draw and could have easily brought in a lot of money for the film.
However, Warner Bros. executives estimated this was the best financial decision. This could have unwanted effects on the studio, as fewer directors will want to work for Warner Bros. if they think their project will never be seen.
Source: Dave Green/X, Steven Price/X