Lana Condor’s Coyote vs. Acme Moment Was Like Attending a Funeral

The movie Acme didn’t want you to see almost died twice, and its star is finally sharing how that felt. Lana Condor opened up about the emotional aftermath of Warner Bros. shelving Coyote vs. Acme and what the cast experienced behind closed doors.

Lana Condor reveals the cast’s fears after Warner Bros. shelved Coyote vs. Acme

The actress revealed the emotional toll of Warner Bros. shelving Coyote vs. Acme in a recent interview with Variety. The cast held a “funeral screening” after the studio canceled the completed film in November 2023. Warner Bros. Discovery had shelved the movie to claim a $30 million tax write-off.

Condor described the experience of watching the doomed film as deeply painful. “It’s so horrible. It’s like, really easy to blame yourself,” Condor said. “You almost feel like, ‘Was I the problem?’” She expressed devastation for the entire production team behind the project. “You’re devastated for the hundreds of people who have worked on this far longer than I have,” she added. “It feels like a funeral.”

Condor also told ComingSoon that the cast doubted the film before watching it. “We went to the funeral screening on the Warner Brothers lot, and we kind of went into it thinking, ‘Well, maybe it’s a bad movie,’” she said. However, the screening changed their minds entirely.

The studio completed the live-action animated hybrid film before deciding against releasing it. The crew received no prior warning about the cancellation decision. Warner Bros. Discovery had previously shelved Batgirl and Scoob! Holiday Haunt for similar tax write-offs.

The decision sparked significant backlash from filmmakers and industry figures alike. Several filmmakers left angry phone calls with Warner Bros. over the move. Others canceled meetings with the studio in protest of the shelving. Director Dave Green voiced his disappointment and emphasized the team’s dedication to the Looney Tunes characters.

Warner Bros. reversed course days later and allowed the filmmakers to shop the film. Multiple studios including Netflix, Amazon, and Paramount expressed interest in acquiring the movie. However, Warner Bros. rejected all bids after demanding $75 to $80 million. Ketchup Entertainment ultimately acquired the rights for approximately $50 million in March 2025. The film finally opens in U.S. theaters on August 28, 2026, carrying a 95% score on Rotten Tomatoes.