James Gunn & John Cena's Coyote Vs. Acme Becomes Latest Completed Movie Shelved By WBD For Tax Write-Off

John Cena and James Gunn’s Coyote vs Acme becomes the latest completed movie after Batgirl to be shelved by Warner Bros. Discovery as a tax write-off.

SUMMARY

Warner Bros. Discovery has decided to shelve the movie Coyote vs. Acme, despite it being completed.
This decision is part of Warner Bros. Pictures Animation’s new strategy of focusing on theatrical releases, causing completed movies to be canceled and used as tax write-offs.
The cancelation of Coyote vs. Acme is disappointing for all involved and those looking forward to it, but Warner Bros. remains open to creative collaboration with the director and continues to work with James Gunn and John Cena on other projects.

Coyote vs. Acme becomes the latest completed movie to be shelved by Warner Bros. Discovery as a tax write-off. Featuring the titular character and corporation from Looney Tunes, the live-action animation hybrid was produced by DC Studios co-head James Gunn, who also contributed to the story, with a Coyote vs. Acme cast that included John Cena, Will Forte, and Lana Condor. The movie finished filming in May 2022 and was originally intended for HBO Max before being considered for a theatrical release.

Now, over a year after it completed filming, the Coyote vs. Acme movie has been shelved as a tax write-off. According to The Hollywood Reporter, Warner Bros. Discovery no longer plans to release the movie. A Warner Bros. spokesperson said in a statement:

With the re-launch of Warner Bros. Pictures Animation in June, the studio has shifted its global strategy to focus on theatrical releases. With this new direction, we have made the difficult decision not to move forward with Coyote vs Acme. We have tremendous respect for the filmmakers, casts, and crew, and are grateful for their contributions to the film.

Why Warner Bros. Keeps Canceling Completed Movies

The Coyote vs. Acme cancelation comes a little over a year after Batgirl was axed. In August 2022, Warner Bros. Discovery sent shockwaves through Hollywood by shelving the $90 million Batgirl movie, in addition to the $40 million animated feature Scoob! Holiday Haunt, which were both completed and intended for release on HBO Max. The newly installed Warner Bros. Discovery CEO David Zaslav shelved the two titles as part of a strategic shift in favor of theatrical releases, and also to save money with a tax write-off.

RELATED:Why Warner Bros Cancelled DC’s Batgirl Movie

The reasons for canceling Coyote vs. Acme seem to be the same. The movie was greenlit by the previous Warner Bros. leadership in December 2020 and was originally intended for a release on HBO Max which, at the time, was a fledgling streaming service. However, it was later decided that Coyote vs. Acme would get a theatrical release on July 21, 2023, though it was later taken off the calendar for Barbie.

Canceling Coyote vs. Acme seems to be another business decision on the part of Warner Bros. Discovery designed to save money with a tax write-off. However, they remain open to creative collaboration with its director, Dave Green. Gunn and Cena will also continue working together with Warner Bros. on Peacemaker season 2. However, the cancelation remains a disappointing decision for all those involved in Coyote vs. Acme, and all those who were looking forward to seeing it.