John Cena Speaks Out on COYOTE VS. ACME Being Saved: “I’m Glad It’s Out of the Dusty Box”
For a while it looked likeCoyote vs. Acme would be another casualty of WB’s corporate write-offs, but after months of fans rallying and behind the scenes wrangling, the animated/live-action hybrid film is officially back on track for a theatrical release.
Now, star John Cena is finally opening up about what it feels like to see the project pulled back from the brink.
Speaking with ScreenRant, Cena shared how rewarding it was to see Coyote vs. Acme finally get the shot it deserves.
“Rewarding, certainly for everybody a part of the project. Anytime you put your heart and soul into something and it gets shelved, it is tough. Again, it ain’t my sandbox, so I completely understand those decisions, but the fact that companies could talk together and the movie could get shown.
“We do what we do to try to entertain, and I know the audiences that were able to see Coyote vs. Acme were entertained. So hopefully that audience grows larger… I just saw it for the first time very recently. It’s a bunch of fun and man, I’m glad it’s out of the dusty box.”
For those who’ve followed the story, it’s been a frustrating ride. Coyote vs. Acmeis a finished film from Warner Bros. that was quietly canceled last year, written off for tax purposes just like Batgirl and Scoob! Holiday Haunt.
What made this one sting even more is that it was reportedly good. Test screenings scored high, and the cast, which includes Cena and SNL alum Will Forte, were proud of what they made. But none of that seemed to matter until Ketchup Entertainment stepped in, securing the film’s rights with a nearly $50 million deal and giving it a second chance.
Forte, who’s been one of the more vocal voices on the matter, didn’t mince words when discussing how it felt to watch the project be cast aside.
“My thoughts are that it’s f-cking bullsh-t. It is such a delightful movie. It deserves so much better…I can’t tell you possibly why the decision was made to not release it, but it makes my blood boil. I don’t want people to forget what they did to us.”
But now that the film is officially back, Forte’s tone has shifted, at least a little.
“I never thought it would happen so it just came out of nowhere and I’m so thrilled. Thank you Ketchup Entertainment, I’m so excited for people to see this movie. I’m gonna promote the crap out of it, just tell me what you want me to do and I’ll go, I’ll do whatever — go to the top of Mount Everest, I’m there.”
Still, even with the comeback, Forte made sure to underline the emotional toll the shelving took on the cast and crew: “Don’t let us make this thing that we fall in love with and then not show it,” he said.
There’s no official release date yet, but with distribution locked in and stars like Cena and Forte ready to go full Road Runner on the promo trail, it’s only a matter of time before Coyote vs. Acme finally gets its moment.