What's Up With Warner Bros. 'Canceling' The Completed 'Coyote vs. Acme' Film In Favor Of A $30M Tax Write Off? The Controversy Explained

Early November 9th, news broke about film studio Warner Bros. deciding against releasing an upcoming Wiley Coyote film directed by Dave Green and produced by DC showrunner James Gunn. The decision comes a year after the studio faced backlash for shelving Batgirl, another finished fan-favorite film.

Criticism of the studio was only exacerbated by internet users who found out that the studio might receive a $30 million tax write-off by choosing not to release Coyote vs. Acme, and mounting backlash appears to have made the studio change its course of action. Here's a recap of the events of the past few days.

What Is 'Coyote vs. Acme' About?

Coyote vs. Acme was an upcoming live-action film based on the Looney Tunes character Wiley Coyote. The story follows Wiley Coyote as he tries to catch the Roadrunner using several Acme corporation contraptions, only to have all the products backfire on him. Coyote then enlists the help of an unlucky lawyer (played by Will Forte) to sue Acme Corporation, which is headed by his lawyer's old boss (played by John Cena).

Why Was Coyote vs. Acme Cancelled?

The film was originally scheduled to be released domestically in July 2023, but the date was changed in order to accommodate the Barbie movie. On November 9th, the studio announced that the film was being shelved entirely, with media outlets reporting that WB would be pocketing a $30 million tax write-off in doing so.

The news was met negatively by both fans and the creators of the film, with Assistant Art Director Lindsay Coda posting a "crew reel" showing behind-the-scenes videos of how the film was made. The use of real sets and practical effects was well-received by viewers who caught the clip before it was invariably copyright-struck and removed by WB. A still-live copy of the reel can be accessed via repost by @sylverpoint.

Copyright claimed? Damn would be a shame if someone posted a copy https://t.co/JUZy0QTHGM pic.twitter.com/H9h7JkFQml

— (CHECK PINNED FOR FULL ARCHIVE) Sylverpoint 🏳️‍⚧️ (@sylverpoint) November 10, 2023

What Was The Response To News About The Film Being Cancelled?

Director Dave Green made a post on X about the film being canceled, speaking about the effort put into it by him and his crew.

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Screenwriter Peter Briggs made a post criticizing David Zaslav, CEO of Warner Bros. Discovery, saying that he "has turned a functioning movie studio into a mechanism to pay him an obscene amount of money annually, while not actually releasing movies," while filmmaker Brian Duffield made a post calling Warner Bros. "anti-art."

Did Warner Bros Reverse Their Decision About 'Coyote vs. Acme'?

While no conclusive reports have emerged as of November 13th, some news outlets reported that Warner Bros has allowed the creators of the film to shop around for other distributors, largely in part due to the backlash against the decision to shelve the film.

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For the full history of Coyote vs. Acme, be sure to check out Know Your Meme's encyclopedia entry for more information.