Coyote vs. Acme

Coyote vs. Acme is a 2026 American live-action animated legal comedy film directed by Dave Green, written by Samy Burch from a story by James Gunn, Jeremy Slater, and Burch, and starring Will Forte, Lana Condor, Tone Bell, Luis Guzmán, Martha Kelly, P. J. Byrne, Kenneth Choi, and John Cena, with Eric Bauza leading the voice cast. The film is based on the 1990 The New Yorker magazine article "Coyote v. Acme" by Ian Frazier (itself using elements from the Looney Tunes franchise), and follows Wile E. Coyote as he enlists a billboard attorney to sue the Acme Corporation for repeatedly selling him alleged faulty products.

Directed by Dave Green. Produced by Chris DeFaria. Story by James Gunn, Jeremy Slater, and Samy Burch.

The Movie ACME Didn't Want You To See.  (taglines)

Dialogue

Commander: Pilot one, what's that thing in the sky?

Pilot: I don't know. I'll just shoot it down. Lock on target.

Commander: You are clear to engage.

---

Kevin Avery: Look, I promise you what I have to do is more important than what you have to do.

[Wile E. looks behind Kevin, and sees a newspaper that says "TWO TESTIFY TOMORROW IN CARTOON HEARING", with Wile E. and Foghorn Leghorn. He grabs it, and scratches his head. Confused, he points it to Kevin, and pulls out a sign with the Road Runner on it.]

Kevin Avery: There's been a change of plans.

[Wile E. writes a sign that says "WHY? WHAT CHANGE OF PLAN?"]

Kevin Avery: He—he couldn’t make it, alright?

[Wile E. writes another sign that says “WHY ISN’T HE COMING?”. He taps Kevin’s shoulder, but he doesn’t get a response. He pulls another sign saying "WHY?", but he's ignored again. Annoyed, he pulls out an air horn to get his attention.]

Kevin: Okay, fine. You think I would drag the Road Runner out here so you could destroy me in front of the entire world? Yeah, I know you just wanted him in that court so you could catch him and eat him. Why would I help you do that?

[Wile E. writes on an empty sign and shows it to Kevin, revealing he wrote “YOU LIED”.]

Kevin: Okay, yeah. I lied. I lied! I needed you to stay for this case. But you know what? YOU lied to me! Huh? You misled me! You made me think this case was about something. And-and it is! Y’know this is WAY bigger than the Road Runner. Did you even process what the rabbit (Bugs Bunny) said? You’re a high usage user! I mean look at all this stuff! You’re addicted! Every explosion, every time you fell to the bottom of a canyon, Acme wanted that! Y’know I changed around my whole life for you! My entire routine! Probably all gonna blow up in my face because you wanted a drumstick.

[Wile E. points aggressively at Kevin.]

Kevin: Oh, MYSELF? You have only cared about your plan this entire time. “Oh, the Road Runner! The Road Runner!” I’m so SICK of this Road Runner!

(Wile E. frantically tries to show Kevin the blueprint of his plan)

Kevin: YOU’RE NEVER GONNA CATCH HIM!

(Wile E. stops in shock)

Kevin: Okay? You just—you really aren’t. Just stop trying.

---

[Buddy Crane meets with Tweety Bird in the desert after the latter failed to capture the Road Runner]

Buddy Crane: You were my eyes and ears out there, what happened? What’d you see?

Tweety: Well, I tawt I taw…

Buddy: You tawt you taw? I don’t pay you to tink you taw, I pay you to taw!

Tweety: I taw!

Buddy: You taw? Or you tawt you taw? Because you just said you tawt you taw!

Tweety: I did! I did taw!

Buddy: What did you tee? What did you taw?

Tweety: [clears throat] A bweakdown on the eastern pewimeter. Ultimatwy, that’s where he went off. That woadwunner is vewy, vewy fast, sir.

[Buddy grabs Tweety in a tight grip to choke him]

Buddy: Step your game up, bird. They’re getting too close. I don’t just want him scared, I want him RUINED! I want him to stop digging around! You know what happened to Dr. Lorre. You want the same thing to happen to your Granny?

Tweety: [choking] No, pwease! I’ll get him tonight! I– I pwomise!

---

Foghorn Leghorn: Is there anyone in the whole wide world who cares what happens to the coyote at all?

[long pause of silence, Wile E. lowers his head, then his ear lifts when he hears something, then the room starts shaking, before, in a rush of dust and random papers flying around...Road Runner shows up at the podium to testify]

Road Runner: Beep-beep!

[Wile E. makes several shocked cartoon expressions. Kevin gestures to him to stay calm, before standing in front of Road Runner]

Kevin: Mr. Runner, um...we will be asking you a series of yes-or-no questions. Two beeps for "yes", one beep for "no", do you understand?

Road Runner: Beep-beep!

[Wile E. grins deviously and begins setting up the trigger for his elaborate trap]

Kevin: Are you a bird?

Road Runner: Beep-beep!

Kevin: Are you easy to catch?

Road Runner: Beep!

Kevin: Okay, good. Are you familiar with a Mr. Wile E. Coyote?

Road Runner: Beep-beep!

Kevin: Have you witnessed Mr. Coyote using any Acme products while in your presence in the desert?

Road Runner: Beep-beep!

Kevin: Have those products always failed?

Road Runner: Beep-beep!

[Wile E. finalizes his preparations and prepares to press the button to spring the trap]

Kevin: Mr. Runner...have you been a witness to Mr. Coyote's pain and suffering?

[Wile E. finger is just about to touch the button...]

Road Runner: [earnestly] BEEP-BEEP.

[Wile E. pauses in surprise, then sees the Road Runner look to him with a look of concern]

Kevin: Yeah...me too. Would you call him...a friend?

Road Runner: ...Beep-beep!

[Wile E. starts to tear up]

Kevin: Well, thank you, Mr. Runner. Thank you for coming here today. Do you have anything additionally that you'd like to say?

Road Runner: Beep-beep!

Kevin: Alright. The floor is yours to add to the record.

[Road Runner gives a series of beeps that are in Morse Code]

Translator: A...R...E...Y..."Are you coming back?"

[Road Runner looks to Wile E. with a caring smile, Wile E. still tearing up, unable to act. Road Runner gives a final "beep-beep!" before rushing out of the hearing room]

Voice cast

Live-Action Characters

• Will Forte as Kevin Avery, a down-and-out billboard attorney who becomes Wile E. Coyote's lawyer. He is named after Looney Tunes animator Tex Avery.
• Lana Condor as Paige Avery, Kevin's niece.
• John Cena as Buddy Crane, the Acme Corporation's lawyer.
• Tone Bell as Sal Maltese, an ally of Wile E. Coyote and partner of Kevin and Dottie. He is named after Looney Tunes screenwriter Michael Maltese (who was also one of the co-creators of Wile E. Coyote and the Road Runner).
• Luis Guzmán as Judge Troppogrosso, a strict and no-nonsense judge overseeing the trial between Wile E. Coyote and the Acme Corporation.
• Martha Kelly as Dottie Jones, an ally of Wile E. Coyote and partner of Kevin and Sal. She is named after Looney Tunes animator, producer, and director Chuck Jones (who was also one of the co-creators of Wile E. Coyote and the Road Runner).
• P. J. Byrne as Bill Pellicano, an Acme Corporation lawyer.
• Kenneth Choi as Oscar Jeon.

Character Voices

• Eric Bauza as Bugs Bunny, Charlie Dog, Daffy Duck, Peter Lorre, Foghorn Leghorn, Gossamer, Marvin the Martian, Porky Pig, Road Runner, Pepé Le Pew, Elmer Fudd, and Tweety
• Candi Milo as Granny, Miss Prissy, and Witch Hazel
• Jim Cummings as Taz
• Paul Julian as Road Runner (archival recordings) (uncredited)
• Mel Blanc as Wile E. Coyote and Bugs Bunny (archival recordings) (uncredited)

External Links

• Coyote Vs. Acme quotes at the Internet Movie Database