Ketchup Entertainment and Warner Bros. Pictures present Coyote vs. Acme, a Troll Court Entertainment production starring Will Forte, Lana Condor, Tone Bell, and John Cena with a large cast of our favorite animated cartoon creatures, starting with protagonist Wile E. Coyote and his nemesis, the Roadrunner.
Costumes by Daniela Moore, Music by Steven Price, Edited by Carsten Kurpanek. Production Designer Steve Arnold, Director of Photography Brandon Trost. Based on the New Yorker article by Ian Frazier. Screenplay by Samy Burcvh; screen story by James Gunn and Jeremy Slater and Samy Burch. Produced by Chris DeFaria, P.G.A. James Gunn; directed by Dave Green.
For the first few minutes of the film, we’re treated to a laugh-out-loud trip back in time to the days when cartoon features were a big part of the fun in “going to the movies.” Watching Wile E. Coyote fail time after time in attempts to capture and cook the faster-than-lightning Roadrunner provided a mindless escape from the stress of daily life.
And since Coyote always bounced back from being crushed, mangled, or thrown off a cliff, we had to admire his tenacity. Although we might not approve of his mission, his optimism was inspirational.
“The message of this movie, like the character at its center, is to never give up,” says director Dave Green.
Coyote vs. Acme Lawsuit
After many years of using products bought from the giant Acme Corporation, Coyote realizes there’s someone else to blame for his many failures and near-fatal accidents, and it’s the corporation. With a box filled with used ACME products, like Rocket Sleds and Spring-powered shoes, he heads to a lawyer who’ll take his claims of personal injury and mental suffering to court.
While it’s hard to compete with colorful animated creatures, SNL and MacGruber star Will Forte is appealing—even sympathetic–as Kevin Avery, a down-and-out attorney whose billboards are everywhere. The cowardly Avery usually settles for pennies on the dollar to avoid losing in court.
But Avery’s savvy young niece (Lana Condor), a rookie lawyer at his firm, sides with their new Coyote client and pushes her boss to take the giant corporation to court. John Cena plays the arrogant lead lawyer for Acme Corporation, all but twirling his mustache as he laughs off the silly lawsuit.
Half the fun of the film is the intermingling with real live humans and beloved cartoon characters like Bugs Bunny, Daffy Duck, Elmer Fudd, with starring roles by Coyote and the official bird of New Mexico, The Great American Roadrunner.
The film opens in DFW area theaters Aug. 28, and it’s a sweet film for everyone in the family to enjoy together. Coyote vs. Acme even boasts a surprising—but satisfying–conclusion. The only violence in this rare family-friendly film happens to Wile E. Coyote, but he bounces back quickly to join the fun and steal your heart.
