MOVIE NEWS – Dramatic turns at Warner Bros.: following the downfall of Batgirl, the John Cena-starring ‘Coyote vs. Acme’ has also hit the cutting room floor. Warner shocks again by scrapping a fully finished film, stirring disappointment in both John Cena and fans. Is this the new trend at the studio, sacrificing HBO Max projects for a cinema-focused strategy?”

Last year, under David Zaslav’s leadership, Warner Bros. Discovery showed no mercy to either ‘Batgirl’ or ‘Scoob! Holiday Hunt.’ These projects, initially intended for HBO Max, fell victim to the studio’s new strategy prioritizing films only of high quality standards for theatrical release, discarding the rest to mitigate tax liabilities.

The latest casualty is ‘Coyote vs. Acme’, narrating the adventures of the infamous Wile E. Coyote, featuring John Cena in a live-action-animation hybrid. Directed by Dave Green, known for ‘Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Out of the Shadows’, the film had a budget of $30 million. The storyline also includes contributions from James Gunn, president of DC Studios.

Produced under Warner Bros. Pictures Animation, the film faced a leadership shift, aligning with the studio’s new goal of releasing two theatrical films annually starting from 2026. The premiere of ‘Coyote vs. Acme’ was initially set for July 21, 2023, but was overturned by the release of ‘Barbie.’

Director Dave Green commented: “For three years, I had the privilege of working on a film centered around Wile E. Coyote, the world’s most persistent character. Surrounded by a brilliant team who poured their hearts and souls into this project, we are proud of the outcome, highly rated by test audiences. Warner’s decision makes it even more heartbreaking for us, but in the spirit of Wile E. Coyote, it is persistence and resilience that will prevail.”