John Cena-starred Wile E. Coyote film escapes cancellation by Warner Bros. Discovery

Warner Bros. Discovery sparked major backlash after shelving an already-finished animated film starring John Cena. Now, there's been a major development.

Major movie studio Warner Bros. Discovery (WBD) cancelled a $72 million dollar Looney Tunes film after it had been completed – then walked back on their decision after massive online backlash.

The film Coyote vs. Acme, starring John Cena and Will Forte, finished filming on May 8 2022 – but after over a year of post-production, WBD announced on November 9 that the movie was being shelved for a $30 million tax write-off.

This is the third time this has happened since entertainment companies Warner Bros. and Discovery merged in 2022, with CEO David Zaslav overseeing the shelving of Batgirl and Scoob! Holiday Haunt.

All three films were multimillion-dollar productions that were either complete or near-completion, and were cancelled for cost-cutting measures.

Executives at WBD concluded the movie-making company would make more money by simply not releasing three completed movies.

Wile E. Coyote and the Road Runner from the classic Looney Tunes animations. Source: Warner Bros.

However, media newsletterPuck reported that after internet and internal outcry, WBD had decided to reverse the decision, allowing the director to present the film to multiple interested buyers.

The film is now being shopped to studios and streaming sites such as Amazon Prime Video, Apple and Netflix, with screenings to executives taking place in the near future.

This would give them the rights to market and release the film on their platforms, rather than WBD-owned services such as streaming website Max.

The film stars beloved Looney Tunes character Wile E. Coyote, entering a court case against fictional corporation Acme, the company responsible for the faulty weapons he uses against the Road Runner in the classic animations.

It was co-written and produced by James Gunn, who was recently placed in charge of WBD’s slate of DC superhero films.

David Zaslav, former CEO of Discovery Inc and current CEO of Warner Bros. Discovery. Picture: Patrick T. Fallon/Bloomberg

According to The Hollywood Reporter, the film’s shelving caused a dive in creator confidence in the studio, with several filmmakers cancelling meetings with the company in response to the decision.

Several screenings for the film had already taken place before the cancellation was announced, allowing filmmakers to express their outrage over the news.

BenDavid Grabinski, showrunner of the new Scott Pilgrim series for Netflix, wrote that the film, which blended live action performances with animated characters, was “the best of its kind since Roger Rabbit”.

“I thought the goal of this business was to make hit movies?” he asked.

COYOTE V ACME is a great movie. The best of its kind since ROGER RABBIT. It's commercial. It tested well. The leads are super likable. It's beautifully shot. The animation is great. The ending makes everyone fucking cry. I thought the goal of this business was to make hit movies?

— BenDavid Grabinski (@bdgrabinski) November 9, 2023

The director of the film, Dave Green, has not made a statement since WBD reversed the decision, but said he was “beyond devastated” at the time of the first announcement.

When a crew member released a behind the scenes reel for the film, WBD attempted to take it offline with a copyright strike. In response, Mr Green liked a post from actor Stephen Ford that asked why WBD’s CEO hadn’t been fired yet.

Now Warner Bros is doing copyright take downs of BTS material on COYOTE VS ACME.

The crew and cast can't even share their experiences?

How have the Board of Directors not fired Zaslav yet?

Fuck this. https://t.co/EFm0IazIMD

— Stephen Ford (@StephenSeanFord) November 10, 2023

But responses to the reversal of the decision have been hopeful, with some praising the effectiveness of public outcry.

Editor Carsten Kurpanek said he was “elated” at the reversal, hopeful the movie would find a new home before long.

“The outcry on social media following the initial announcement clearly shows there is interest and an audience … I’m really thankful for all the support we received,” he said.