The first footage from the upcoming live-action legal comedy Coyote vs. Acme played at San Diego Comic-Con with Screen Rant in attendance, and it provided a glimpse of what to expect. Starring John Cena and Will Forte at the head of a talented human cast, Coyote vs. Acme will see actors and actresses interacting with CGI toons a la Who Framed Roger Rabbit?

At the movie’s Hall H panel at Comic-Con, the team behind Coyote vs. Acme also confirmed a theatrical release date, which is set for August 28th, 2025. Originally due to be shelved forever for the sake of a $30 million tax break for Warner Bros., public backlash and lobbying from its creators and cast helped give the movie new life and a wide theatrical release.

At Comic-Con, the audience at Hall H was lucky enough to see legitimate footage. The initial clip sees Wile E. Coyote reminiscing about all the injuries he’s sustained because of faulty Acme products, being drawn in by a commercial starring Will Forte’s lawyer Kevin Avery, and meeting with Avery in his office, which he promptly blows up unintentionally.

Midway through the panel, a full six minutes of footage played, which featured Avery and Wile in a courtroom (with Luis Guzman as the judge) squaring off against Acme’s smooth-talking lawyer Buddy Crane (John Cena). After Crane delivers a clean opening, Avery fumbles his way through an embarrᴀssing response.

The footage then cuts away to Avery in a H๏τel room, where he gets a mysterious phone call from someone who opens with “What’s up, doc?” The caller, who won’t tell Avery his name, claims they have evidence that could end Acme for good.

What This Means For Coyote Vs. Acme

It Gives A Sense Of Where The Movie’s Comedy Will Be Drawn From

The footage from Comic-con makes it clear that there is a higher caliber of comedy at play besides the typical slapstick Looney Tunes schtick. Small details like Johnny Cash’s “Hurt” playing over Wile’s reminiscing of old injuries and John Cena’s pandering “God bless the troops” conclusion to his opening remarks indicate there will be plenty for those who enjoy smarter comedy to enjoy.

The other big takeaway is the reveal of another iconic Looney Tunes character, indicating the narrative here could be much more sprawling than originally thought. The “mysterious” voice is very obviously Bugs Bunny, and the footage simultaneously sets him up to be a major player in the movie and opens the door for other classic Looney Tunes to appear (Foghorn Leghorn already appeared in promotional images).

Our Take On Coyote Vs. Acme’s First Footage

It’s A Good Thing Public Backlash Saved This Movie

The first look at Coyote vs. Acme is really entertaining, and it certainly seems like it could be a box office success in addition to being a critical success. Warner Bros. may actually end up benefiting from the movie’s initial cancellation, as the struggle to revive it raised the movie’s profile significantly, and could ultimately end up pushing the box office gross much higher than it might have been otherwise.