Will Forte Says Reviews for ‘Coyote vs. Acme’ Make Him Feel “Not Crazy” After Warner Bros. Shelved It for Years

Warner Bros.’ long-delayed Looney Tunes legal comedy “Coyote vs. Acme” is finally headed to theaters, and one of its stars, Will Forte, says early positive reaction to the finished film helped bring some clarity after years of silence from the studio. Forte discussed the movie’s difficult journey in an interview reported by The Hollywood Reporter on Aug. 27, describing his emotional response to the prospect that audiences and critics are now engaging with the project as intended.

Forte said he had received what he characterized as “glowing reviews” and that the feedback helped the film “make it feel like you’re not crazy,” according to the report. He also acknowledged how the long wait affected him personally, adding that “I felt gaslit for a while,” framing his comments around a period when the movie’s release seemed uncertain even after it had been made.

According to The Hollywood Reporter, “Coyote vs. Acme” co-stars John Cena and Lana Condor, and the title has roots in the classic Looney Tunes universe. The film’s theatrical arrival follows what the report describes as a major studio shelving decision at Warner Bros. that lasted for about three years.

The reporter’s account places the shelving decision in the context of Warner Bros.’ internal handling of the project, noting that the movie was set aside before moving into its current phase of release. For Forte, the public shift from delay to distribution appears to be the key turning point, changing the way he could speak about what the movie was intended to be and how it might land with viewers.

While promotional and distribution decisions can vary across major studio releases, the “Coyote vs. Acme” timeline highlights how cinema schedules can change after production wraps, leaving cast members publicly separated from final marketing outcomes. Forte’s remarks, as captured by The Hollywood Reporter, suggest that the period of waiting had real consequences for how he understood the project’s status.

The film’s return to theaters also brings the familiar Looney Tunes brand to a contemporary legal-comedy framing, with the report emphasizing the movie’s genre premise as a courtroom-style take on the characters and conflicts associated with the cartoon franchise. For audiences, the release means the long-awaited crossover of established animated IP with live-action comedic storytelling is now reaching the marketplace.

For the film industry, the “Coyote vs. Acme” situation reflects the risk that even completed projects can face when studios revise priorities. Forte’s comments underline the human element of that process, particularly for performers whose reputations are tied to projects that may not be released on the timetable they expected.

As “Coyote vs. Acme” moves from delay to theaters, Warner Bros.’ release strategy will determine when and how the film reaches audiences, including how widely it is distributed and what marketing emphasis it receives after its extended gap. The report indicates the studio is now able to position the film for viewing, turning what had been an extended hold into a new stage of public reception.