^{Credit: Ketchup Entertainment, Warner Animation Group (*A Wholly Owned Subsidiary of The Acme Corporation)}

Even after Ketchup Entertainment rescued it from an unceremonious tax write-off, it was starting to feel like the most we’d ever see of Coyote vs. Acme was a handful of images. With the release of its long-awaited trailer, Ketchup not only confirmed that the once-shelved film exists, but we’ll be able to see it in theaters on August 28, 2026. The trailer cleverly reflects Warner Bros.-Discovery’s attempt to bury the film, just as the Acme Corporation attempts to bury the lawsuit Wile E. Coyote has brought forth. Promoted as “the movie Acme doesn't want you to see,” you could just as easily replace the fictitious company’s name with David 'Mr. Chairman' Zaslav. Acme isn’t the only one that sucks.

In addition to Wile E., the trailer features appearances from the Roadrunner, Tweety Bird, Daffy Duck, Porky Pig, Foghorn Leghorn, and even that Oscar-winning rabbit. Speaking of which, Coyote vs. Acme remains one of this year’s biggest question marks in the Best Animated Feature race. Being a live-action/animated hybrid with Will Forte, John Cena, and several others in key roles, it remains to be seen if the film will meet the Academy’s requirements. The Best Animated Feature rules specify that “animation must figure in no less than 75 percent of the picture’s running time.” A handful of hybrid films have been submitted for Best Animated Feature, but ultimately fell below the 75% threshold: Arthur and the Invisibles, Yogi Bear, and The Smurfs.

That said, Looney Tunes: Back in Action was deemed eligible in 2003, despite the presence of live actors like Brendan Fraser and Jenna Elfman. Back in Action wasn’t nominated for the Oscar, however. In fact, the only hybrid film to be nominated for Best Animated Feature is Marcel the Shell with Shoes On. Technically, WALL-E had a cameo from a live-action Fred Willard, but that hardly makes it a hybrid. If Coyote vs. Acme does meet the qualifications for Best Animated Feature consideration, there are still several other factors to consider, including reviews, box office, and how this year’s competition stacks up.

There’s also the matter of how Ketchup Entertainment handles the film’s awards campaign. Ketchup previously rescued another film that WBD nearly wiped under the rug: The Day the Earth Blew Up: A Looney Tunes Movie. Ahead of its general theatrical release in March 2025, Ketchup gave The Day the Earth Blew Up a limited Oscar-qualifying run in late 2024. While The Day the Earth Blew Up was worthy of a nomination, 2024 was a competitive year for animation with the likes of Flow, Inside Out 2, Memoir of a Snail, Wallace & Gromit: Vengeance Most Fowl, and The Wild Robot. The Day the Earth Blew Up simply lacked the visibility needed to compete with those films.

Ketchup might’ve been better off saving The Day the Earth Blew Up’s Oscar run for 2025. This would’ve allowed more time for the film to gain an audience. The film went on to gross $15.5 million. While not a huge hit, it at least recouped its budget, which was perhaps always the best-case scenario for a film with little promotion outside the animation community. The Day the Earth Blew Up has since been released on HBO Max. With strong reviews backing it up, The Day the Earth Blew Up might’ve been remembered during the 2025 awards season. I’m not saying The Day the Earth Blew Up would’ve gotten nominated over Arco, Little Amélie, KPop Demon Hunters, or Zootopia 2... but eclipsing Elio wouldn’t have been out of the question.

Ketchup should be commended for saving not just one, but two films we likely never would’ve seen otherwise. It’s still a smaller company, with fewer than 12 employees according to most sources. Although Ketchup acquired Coyote vs. Acme for $50 million, they don’t necessarily have the resources for a Netflix-sized awards campaign. That is, unless WBD (or pending supreme overload Paramount) wants to chip in, which seems unlikely. Then again, Ketchup is already doing a phenomenal job promoting the film with its cheeky trailer. Maybe Ketchup doesn’t need deep pockets to get Coyote vs. Acme on the Academy’s radar. Just clever campaigning.

To enter the awards conversation, Coyote vs. Acme will also need support from critics and audiences. It helps that the film has Oscar-winning talent attached. The script was written by Samy Burch, who received a Best Original Screenplay nomination for May December. If you find Burch’s filmography surprising, remember that Kenneth Lonergan wrote Manchester by the Sea and The Adventures of Rocky and Bullwinkle. Burch could technically get a Best Adapted Screenplay nomination for Coyote vs. Acme. If Coyote vs. Acme gets into Best Animated Feature, the nomination will likely be credited to its director, Dave Green, and producers, Chris DeFaria and James Gunn. It would be the first Oscar nominations for all three. It’d be the second nomination for Wile E. and the Roadrunner, who first got nominated for their 1961 short, Beep Prepared.

Assuming Coyote vs. Acme gets strong reviews, performs well financially, and meets the Academy’s eligibility criteria, one could imagine the Animation Branch rallying behind it. The branch hasn’t always championed films that combine animation and live-action, most only snubbing The Lego Movie. Considering how WBD nearly wiped the film from existence, though, animators may want to send a message to executives who care more about their bottom line than art or the artists. Whether or not Coyote vs. Acme can get an Oscar nomination, the fact that it’s getting released at all feels like the biggest win.

Nick Spake is the Author of Bright & Shiny: A History of Animation at Award Shows Volumes 1, 2, and 3. Available Now!