It’s Batgirl all over again. THR reports that Warner Bros. has shelved Coyote vs. ACME for a tax write-off.
“With the re-launch of Warner Bros. Pictures Animation in June, the studio has shifted its global strategy to focus on theatrical releases,” a WB Motion Picture Group spokesperson said in a statement. “With this new direction, we have made the difficult decision not to move forward with Coyote vs Acme. We have tremendous respect for the filmmakers, casts, and crew, and are grateful for their contributions to the film.“
The hybrid live-action/animated movie actually finished shooting last year and reportedly received great scores at test screenings. The movie stars Will Forte as a down-on-his-luck attorney who takes on Wile E. Coyote as a client in a suit against the ACME Corporation over its defective products, only to discover that his boss (John Cena) at his former law firm is representing ACME, but the growing friendship between Wile E. and his lawyer only fuels their desire to win the case.
Coyote vs. ACME had a production budget of $70 million, giving Warner Bros. an estimated $30 million write-down. It’s reportedly not worth the cost for Warner Bros. to release the film in theaters or even to sell it to other buyers, and we hear that there were interested parties.
Director Dave Green took to X/Twitter to comment on Warner Bros.’ decision to put his movie in the vault. “For three years, I was lucky enough to make a movie about Wile E. Coyote, the most persistent, passionate, and resilient character of all time,” he wrote. “I was surround by a brilliant team, who poured their souls into this project for years. We were all determined to honor the legacies of these historic characters and actually get them right. Along the ride, we were embraced by test audiences who rewarded us with fantastic scores. I am beyond proud of the final product, and beyond devastated by WB’s decision. But in the spirit of Wile E. Coyote, resilience and persistence win the day.“
It’s depressing to see Coyote vs. ACME get shelved by Warner Bros., and we feel for everyone involved in the movie. I can’t imagine how heartbreaking it must be to see all your hard work disappear just for a tax write-off.