Yahoo Movies John Cena's already-filmed new movie gets cancelled by Warner Bros
John Cena movie Coyote vs. Acme has received the Batgirl treatment from Warner Bros.
Despite being rolled out to test audiences after production wrapped last year, this animation/live-action hybrid is being indefinitely shelved as the studio kickstarts a new global release strategy.
The feature was based on The New Yorker's humour article of the same name, published 33 years ago, which sees the iconic coyote hiring a billboard lawyer to sue ACME when its products fail to aid his pursuit of arch-nemesis Roadrunner.
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The movie's director Dave Green reacted to the news onTwitter/X yesterday (November 9), writing to his followers: "For three years, I was lucky enough to make a movie about Wile E. Coyote, the most persistent, passionate, and resilient character of all time.
"I was surrounded by a brilliant team, who poured their souls into this project for years. We were all determined to honour the legacies of these historic characters and actually get them right.
"Along the ride, we were embraced by test audiences who rewarded us with fantastic scores. I am beyond proud of the final product, and beyond devastated by WB's decision. But in the spirit of Wile E. Coyote, resilience and persistence win the day."
— Dave Green (@dgreenmachine) November 9, 2023
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"With the re-launch of Warner Bros. Pictures Animation in June, the studio has shifted its global strategy to focus on theatrical releases," said a WB Motion Picture Group spokesperson in a statement (via The Hollywood Reporter).
"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."
Under the studio's previous regime, Coyote vs. Acme was greenlit as a Max streaming release for summer 2023, but in April 2022, Warners withdrew it from the calendar altogether.
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