Coyote vs. Acme finally debuted its first footage at San Diego Comic-Con 2025.
After a series of behind-the-scenes setbacks that threatened the film’s release, the hybrid live-action and animated Looney Tunes movie delighted audiences during a Hall H panel at the pop culture convention.
Hosted by The League‘s Paul Scheer, the panel kicked off with a short message from Porky Pig and Marvin the Martian before Scheer humorously recapped the movie’s roller-coaster journey.
“This never happens unless you’re Zack Snyder,” he quipped, before joking that he’s “never heard of Warner Bros.”
Initially announced in 2018, the film added John Cena to its cast in 2022, only for its theatrical release to be abruptly scrapped by Warner Bros. the following year — despite the movie already being completed. The studio reportedly planned to write the project off as a loss for tax purposes, employing a similar strategy that also led to the cancellation of the completed Batgirl and the nearly completed Scoob! Holiday Haunt.
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Paul Scheer, Will Forte, Dave Green, Eric Bauza and Martha Kelly at the ‘Coyote Vs. Acme’ Comic-Con panel
Following public backlash, WB reversed its decision and allowed other distributors to bid on the film. Eventually, Ketchup Entertainment struck a deal in March to release it theatrically.
After Scheer’s intro, a Coyote vs. Acme clip played for the crowd. Set to Johnny Cash’s “Hurt,” a supercut of various Wile E. Coyote wipeouts from old cartoons was shown. Wile E. then sees an ad for a personal injury lawyer played by Will Forte. After a title card, a short scene played of Wile E. in a live-action law office with Forte. The clip ends as the coyote holds up a stick of dynamite, which, of course, explodes.
“I’m pretty speechless; it blows my mind,” Forte, appearing in person in Hall H, told the audience.
The film’s global release was then announced as Aug 28, 2026.
As Forte expressed his excitement to show the crowd more footage, actor P.J. Byrne stormed in with a cease-and-desist order representing the Acme Corporation, to loud boos.
Scheer then led a call-and-response with the audience, shouting, “Get out!” as the crowd answered back, “Acme!”
“These guys are the worst,” Forte chimed in. “Acme has tried to block this movie at every step. They didn’t want you guys seeing any of the footage today… They’ll stop at nothing.”
Forte also gave some behind-the-scenes details about how the film combined its live-action and animated elements. The actor explained that production worked with David Barclay, a puppeteer from The Dark Crystal, who performed with a Wile E. Coyote puppet alongside Forte for the first takes of every scene. After a few takes, they would swap out the puppeteer for a tennis ball, which would be digitally turned into an animated Wile E. in postproduction.
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Hall H was then treated to a six-minute clip from the movie, depicting a courtroom scene in which a nervous Forte defends Wile E. against a prosecution led by Cena and Byrne. Luis Guzman presides as judge, and warns the court, “I am not a loosey-goosey judge. I am a no-nonsense and no-silly-stuff judge, is that understood?”
Warner Bros.
Wile E. Coyote and Will Forte in ‘Coyote vs. Acme’
After a disastrous first day in court, Forte is next seen back in his motel room, where he gets a cryptic call from Bugs Bunny.
“I think I may be able to help you with Acme. I have information that could stop Acme for good,” Bugs says. “If this gets out, it’ll all be over. I have an associate with information. If they figure out what he knows, he’s a sitting duck.”
“Bugs Bunny is in the movie!” Scheer confirmed after the clip, earning wild applause from the room.
“And it’s not Chris Pratt!” voice actor Eric Bauza joked.
“You will see a full array of Looney Tunes characters [in the movie],” director Dave Green promised. There’s even an animated version of acting legend Peter Lorre, whom Green called “one of their favorite characters.”
During a Q&A with fans, Forte addressed the drama surrounding Warner Bros.’ initial decision to cancel the film. “When it went away for a while, it was devastating,” he said.
Amy Sussman/Getty
Will Forte at the ‘Coyote vs. Acme’ panel at San Diego Comic-Con
Green then thanked a laundry list of collaborators, but notably did not include Superman director James Gunn, who has a story credit on the film. Gunn is now the co-CEO of DC Studios, a Warner Bros. subsidiary.
A Coyote vs. Acme trailer then played for the audience following a short interruption from Foghorn Leghorn. Roadrunner, the Tasmanian Devil, Granny, and the aforementioned animated Lorre all appeared in the brief clip, which featured a series of short shots.
Bauza then wrapped the panel by declaring, “That’s all, folks!”
Check out more of EW’s coverage from San Diego Comic-Con 2025.
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