Coyote vs. Acme Is Officially in the Race for Best Animated Feature
Beep beep, Oscar.
Anthony Bruno
Coyote vs. Acme, the Looney Tunes movie Warner Bros. once shelved for a tax break, is officially eligible for Best Animated Feature at the 2027 Oscars. Distributor Ketchup Entertainment had been unsure the live-action and animation hybrid would qualify, and the Academy ruled in its favor this week (World of Reel).
The news took off with fans right away, and DiscussingFilm's post about the ruling picked up around 40,000 likes overnight.
Why was Coyote vs. Acme's eligibility in doubt?
The Academy requires animation to make up at least 75% of a film's running time for Best Animated Feature. Coyote vs. Acme mixes real actors like Will Forte and John Cena with classic 2D Looney Tunes characters, so Ketchup wasn't sure it would count. The status moved to "pending further review" before the Academy cleared it (World of Reel).
There's a precedent, too. Marcel the Shell With Shoes On also mixed live action with animation and still landed a nomination (Consequence).
Who is Coyote vs. Acme up against?
The race had looked like a two-movie fight between Laika's stop-motion Wildwood and Pixar's Toy Story 5. Disney's Hoppers and Brad Bird's Ray Gunn are also in the mix (Consequence).
If Coyote vs. Acme gets nominated, it would be the first Looney Tunes feature the Academy has ever recognized. It would also be a fitting tribute to Eric Bauza, who voiced Bugs, Daffy, Porky, Tweety and Road Runner in the film and died at 46 just two days before the ruling.
Can Coyote vs. Acme actually win?
My read is that it's a long shot, but it's the best underdog story of the year. Warner Bros. shelved the roughly $70 million movie in 2023 despite strong test screenings. Ketchup reportedly paid around $50 million for it, and it opened to $15 million in late August before passing $100 million worldwide (World of Reel).
Voters love a comeback, and a movie about a coyote suing the company that keeps blowing him up is about as relatable as it gets (Acme's legal team should be nervous).
If you missed it in theaters, the 4K is up for preorder and ships December 1. As an Amazon Associate, Church of Nerds earns from qualifying purchases.
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Images are official Coyote vs. Acme stills from Ketchup Entertainment.
