Kevin Avery found his niche in the legal landscape and is quite comfortable there. His firm, Avery, Maltese and Jones, handle small claims cases against big corporations in Albuquerque, New Mexico. It’s easy work, because companies like Acme will settle cases for a paltry few hundred dollars rather than go to trial. Unfortunately, Kevin Avery’s life just got made much more complicated by his idealistic niece and his latest client; Wile E. Coyote – Super Genius.

Before Kevin realizes it, he’s on the national news being touted as the little legal eagle taking on the Acme Corporation. Because Wile E. Coyote does not want to settle. He wants to go trial over every single Acme product that literally blew up in his face. The problem is that puts Kevin and Wile in the crosshairs of Acme’s legal department, headed by Kevin’s classmate, Buddy Crane. It also puts them in literal crosshairs, after Acme’s CEO decides it will be far easier to drop a piano on them than kill them in court.

When it was first announced that Coyote vs. Acme was being shelved by Warner Bros. Discovery for a tax credit, people began asking why. It had a story that was co-plotted by then newly appointed DC Studios boss James Gunn. It had a cast headlined by popular comedic actors like John Cena and Will Forte. There was slapstick for the kids, smart jokes for the adults, and a strong message about hard work and never giving up for everyone. It seemed like you’d have to be some kind of moron to not see Coyote vs. Acme as a license to print money.

Having now seen the movie, it is pretty clear why the management of Warner Brothers Discovery tried to shelve it. Because underneath the anvils and anarchy, there is a strong David and Goliath parable about corporate corruption and government malfeasance. Given that, the question is not why Coyote vs. Acme was shelved but how it was allowed to be completed in the first place!

My suspicion is it flew under the radar of executives that were dismissive of animated comedies until they realized what they had. Regardless of how it happened, it did happen. And we are fortunate that a fan-driven campaign allowed Ketchup Entertainment to distribute Coyote vs. Acme.

So now that we’ve gotten the inevitable discussion of the politics behind the movie’s release out of the way, how is the movie itself? Well, I don’t want to oversell Coyote vs. Acme. However, it is the best movie I’ve seen in 2026. And if there were any justice in this world, whoever was responsible for trying to shelve it would be out on their ass by Monday morning.

Coyote vs. Acme is a triumph on every level. It succeeds as a tribute to classic Looney Tunes, and while it repeats some classic gags, it also introduces some new ones. The kids will like these new Roadrunner and Coyote scenes. Meanwhile, the animation geeks will have fun with all the cameos by relatively obscure Looney Tunes. (My personal favorite was Charlie Dog, who has apparently abandoned his search for a perfect master and become Kevin Avery’s law clerk.)

At the same time, there’s an honestly slick legal thriller underneath the looniness. Maybe it’s just Foghorn Leghorn as the CEO of Acme that puts me in mind of John Grisham movies and veiled threats to protect the company. Regardless, the final shooting script by Samy Burch finds the perfect blend of comedy and drama and nails that balance throughout.

As for the direction, Dave Green creates a world unlike anything seen since Who Framed Roger Rabbit? You really believe in this world where toons and humans live alongside one another. In that, particular credit should be given to Will Forte and John Cena. Both are gifted comic actors, who have sold the unbelievable in other films. And yet, I think they both topped themselves here. It’s hard to single out any one scene, but I have to give John Cena particular praise for keeping a straight face while putting the squeeze on a particular canary to sing about what he taw or taut he taw.

I dare not say more for fear of spoiling a great movie. Suffice it to say, you should see it in the theaters if possible. If you’ve ever rooted for the underdog and get a thrill in saying “why not?” to everyone who asks “why bother?” you will love Coyote vs. Acme.