COYOTE VS. ACME Star Will Forte Slams Warner Bros. Discovery's Decision To Scrap The Near-Completed Movie

COYOTE VS. ACME Star Will Forte Slams Warner Bros. Discovery's Decision To Scrap The Near-Completed Movie

Coyote vs. Acme is the latest movie to be scrapped by Warner Bros. Discovery, and lead star Will Forte has slated the studio's decision to scrap a project he argues is nothing less than "magnificent."

By JoshWilding - Mar 02, 2024 04:03 AM EST
Filed Under: Animated Features
Source: Toonado.com

Warner Bros. Discovery CEO David Zaslav has become something of a reviled figure for axing near-completed movies, explaining why we'll never get to see the likes of Batgirl and Scoob! Holiday Haunt

However, the backlash to the decision to scrap the live-action/animated hybrid Coyote vs. Acme has been considerably more vocal. We've heard nothing but good things about the movie, but even after being pressured to offload it to another studio or streamer, WBD seemingly ensured the price tag was high enough that no one would be willing to buy it. Why? Well, they've already taken a $70 million writedown on it! 

While Warner Bros. Discovery might have decided it's not worth marketing Coyote vs. Acme for theaters or putting the movie on Max, star Will Forte has now broken his silence (via Toonado.com) and made his feelings known on the entire situation. 

"I know that a lot of you haven’t gotten a chance to see our movie," he said in a lengthy statement on Instagram. "And sadly, it’s a looking like you never will." Explaining that he hadn't seen the movie before it was "deleted," Forte added, "So I was thinking what everyone else must have been thinking: this thing must be a hunk of junk. But then I saw it. And it’s Incredible."

"Super funny throughout, visually stunning, sweet, sincere, and emotionally resonant in a very earned way," he added. "As the credits rolled, I just sat there thinking how lucky I was to be a part of something so special. That quickly turned to confusion and frustration. This was the movie they’re not going to release?"

"Look, when it comes to Hollywood business stuff, I don’t know shit about shit. Even when a movie tests very well (like ours), there’s no guarantee that it’s gonna be a hit," Forte said of the movie which also stars John Cena and Lana Condor. "And at the end of the day, the people who paid for this movie can obviously do whatever they want with it."

"It doesn’t mean I have to like it (I fu**king hate it). Or agree with it. And it doesn’t mean that this movie is anything less than magnificent."

After being criticised by filmmakers like Phil Lord & Chris Miller and Guillermo del Toro, Warner Bros. Discovery acquiesced and put Coyote vs. Acme up for auction. While rival studios put up bids between $30 million - $50 million, none would match the $70 million that tax write-off provides. 

As a result, we don't expect this movie to ever see the light of day. Stay tuned for updates.

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MarvelousMarty
MarvelousMarty - 3/2/2024, 5:24 AM
I love the roadrunner cartoons, I watch them with my kids.
Matchesz
Matchesz - 3/2/2024, 6:06 AM
Will Forte was the only funny part in Strays
WATCHT0WER
WATCHT0WER - 3/2/2024, 6:08 AM
WB are really struggling recently ain't they?! It's a shame because they have a plethora of great, iconic characters as well. Growing up, Saturday morning cartoons were rife with Looney Tunes, DC characters and originals like Animanaics and FREAKAZOID. I think these issues highlight that it's a industry focused purely on profit and lack of vision to deliver something substantial to a paying audience.
ObserverIO
ObserverIO - 3/2/2024, 8:10 AM
@WATCHT0WER - They got Dune though.

I think that's the elusive hit franchise they've been searching for. It feels like WB again.
Like GoT, The Dark Knight Trilogy, Lord of the Rings, Burton's Batman, stretching all the way back to Casablanca, there's a certain magnificence and sophistication to WB's classics. They feel big. Dune feels that big again.
ObserverIO
ObserverIO - 3/2/2024, 8:12 AM
@ObserverIO - Oh and Barbie of course.

Once they merge with another company like Paramount, I think they will once again be that powerhouse studio we remember.
WATCHT0WER
WATCHT0WER - 3/2/2024, 9:42 AM
@ObserverIO - that's very true. I forgot that was even an WB IP. Perhaps it's a reflection on materials being used? Eg: Superhero fatigue?
WATCHT0WER
WATCHT0WER - 3/2/2024, 1:46 PM
@ObserverIO - oh dang, yeah Barbie! OK so probably superhero issues then.

I really do want to see more classic cartoons revived. Do you remember the revival of Looney Tunes they did a couple of years back? Plus the Animanaics too. Loved them, even in my 30s I can't resist a little life regression to a simpler time haha
ObserverIO
ObserverIO - 3/2/2024, 1:50 PM
@WATCHT0WER - Never got around to that Animaniacs revival, but I plan to. Love me some Animaniacs.

Wonder if they'll do a Tiny Toons revival.

We're tiny, we're toony, we're all a little looney...
WATCHT0WER
WATCHT0WER - 3/2/2024, 2:16 PM
@ObserverIO - don't forget Freakazoid! The OG of meta comedy . Tiny toons haha, Elmyra hugging them till there's more more air in their lungs haha. I swear, if nostalgia was a drug, I'd be addicted 😆
MG0019
MG0019 - 3/3/2024, 10:05 AM
@ObserverIO - They just released a Tiny Toons revival a few months ago 😏
MG0019
MG0019 - 3/3/2024, 10:08 AM
@ObserverIO - ?si=zEzD0z1sKqfAenjW
ObserverIO
ObserverIO - 3/3/2024, 12:28 PM
@MG0019 - Ha! That's awesome! Thank you for that.
bkmeijer1
bkmeijer1 - 3/2/2024, 6:08 AM
I get they're not allowed to make money on it for tax purposes, but what actually is the policy on releasing movies like this and Batgirl (and unaired pilots) for free instead?
JDL
JDL - 3/2/2024, 1:46 PM
@bkmeijer1 - The policy is that it isn't worth having the shareholder lawsuits that they would lose.
bkmeijer1
bkmeijer1 - 3/2/2024, 2:36 PM
@JDL - would the shareholders get something out of it though if the studio doesn't go outside the book?
JDL
JDL - 3/2/2024, 4:44 PM
@bkmeijer1 - Not sure what you meant.
bkmeijer1
bkmeijer1 - 3/2/2024, 7:02 PM
@JDL - the studio probably wouldn't release it for free as it would mean the shareholders could sue, but would the shareholders even make the effort in the first place is what I meant
JDL
JDL - 3/2/2024, 8:39 PM
@bkmeijer1 - Almost certainly. Some of them are lawyers so the cost would be low.
TrentCrimm
TrentCrimm - 3/2/2024, 9:54 PM
@bkmeijer1 -

The main problem with something like Batgirl is not only would it have to be released for free, but they would also need to put in the work to actually finish the movie also for free. The chances of any studio doing that just out of the goodness of their hearts is pretty slim.
JDL
JDL - 3/2/2024, 11:31 PM
@TrentCrimm - I would like to add that a lot of the Batgirl movie was reputed to be setup. In some cases for other characters or stories, none of which will ever be written much less produced.
bkmeijer1
bkmeijer1 - 3/3/2024, 3:17 AM
@TrentCrimm @JDL - what if it's just an unfinished bootleg being leaked? Doubt anyone is gonna care. Might even pull a Deadpool
JDL
JDL - 3/3/2024, 6:04 AM
@bkmeijer1 - I think the idea is that it would mess with current IP. Remember the comics crowd and the movie crown have different tolerances on "variety". The mutiverse for example is a concept the comic people have no trouble with but the movie people do. YMMV.
bkmeijer1
bkmeijer1 - 3/3/2024, 6:59 AM
@JDL - true. Think only the comics crowd will end up watching it though, and they can tell the things apart. Doubt the general audience even knew Batgirl existed
JDL
JDL - 3/3/2024, 10:51 AM
@bkmeijer1 - I would tend to agree with you on that.
TheyDont
TheyDont - 3/2/2024, 7:42 AM
But on the other hand, less Will Forte is always good.
Matchesz
Matchesz - 3/2/2024, 7:43 AM
@TheyDont - wild take. Wille Forte is hilarious
xfan320
xfan320 - 3/3/2024, 8:26 AM
@TheyDont - I find it very ironic that TWO of WB's tax write-offs featured Will Forte.

Poor Guy.
SuperiorHeckler
SuperiorHeckler - 3/2/2024, 8:07 AM
COYOTE VS. ACME sounds like a potentially funny 8-minute long YouTube skit. Not a fully functioning hour-and-a-half long movie project. 🫤
HulkisHoly
HulkisHoly - 3/2/2024, 10:01 AM
I would love to see Forte and Hader in a comedy together.
IAmAHoot
IAmAHoot - 3/2/2024, 10:23 AM
The Wile E. Coyote cartoons were my favorite of the Looney Tunes shows, except for when they had him speak. At first I was skeptical, but the plot of this is actually pretty clever, and with Lord and Miller behind it too, this promised to be tons of fun. Such a shame.
LeDiableBlanc
LeDiableBlanc - 3/2/2024, 10:28 AM
As a shareholder, I'm not happy with this Zaslav dude. Spend minimally on promoting it, get whatever in theaters and then add value to Max as content, plus sell some toys.
JDL
JDL - 3/2/2024, 1:54 PM
@LeDiableBlanc - the problems are; 1)a tax benfit spread over 15 yrears vx 1 is much less valuable, 2) minimal promotion is throwing money away. 3) they aren't a standalone toy maker afaik.

They never should have bought the damn thing.
AmazingFILMporg
AmazingFILMporg - 3/2/2024, 11:32 AM
Zaslav is a reality TV show CEO trying and failing to run a movie studio.



WB discovery stock has been shit ever since he has taken over.🤡



He needs to stick to reality TV trash like My 500 Pound Life and I am Jazz😅


cubrn
cubrn - 3/2/2024, 11:38 AM
I was really looking forward to this
NinnesMBC
NinnesMBC - 3/3/2024, 1:08 AM
He has every damn right to be as pissed off, what Zaslav is doing is pure and shameless anti-art behaviour and any "auteur" or creative that does care about their work seeing the light of the day and judged by audiences would think three times before signing up to work under the current WBD regime. This moron clearly has it out against animation though, this solidifies it.

Makes one wonder how safe is even Creature Commmandos. And the fact Gunn, a writer and producer that worked in Coyote vs Acme, never said a damn thing in protest, just keeps on portraying him as a poor and lame example of a "yes-man" type of person now. Too comfy in the DCU to make a stand for creatives?

Anyway reasons like this is because I don't wanna consume anything from WBD nowadays. With the exception of Dune, I hope every single endeavor Zaslav tries to get his claws in for desperate cashcow grabs end up in flames for all these senseless tax-writes off. Including especially the MCU inspired DCU he wants to profit off through Gunn.

[frick] all of this.

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