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In promoting his new film Jackpot today with The Wrap, John Cena was asked about WBD's decision to scuttle the completed
"There's a lot there,," Cena said And everyone's perspective is different. We don't own the film. That's the tough part about this business, you do have a sense of ownership because you invest heart and soul. And [director] Dave Green and everybody involved, we made what we thought was a good movie. I would have liked to seen it given a chance, but I'm just one person. And if it was shelved, I would have to think that it was shelved for the right reasons and it was a good business decision. I think I would have tremendous regret and shame if I look back on the legacy of the movie and it was shelved for reasons other than that. So I have to believe in the process. And I love the movie, my heart and soul is in there, but it's somebody else's project to do what they want with and they've chosen accordingly."
As previously reported by The Wrap, Bros. Discovery rejected all bids on the shelved Coyote vs Acme film, would have told the tale of "a down-on-his-luck (human) attorney who takes on Wile E Coyote. as a client in his suit against Acme over its defective products, only to discover that his boss at his former law firm is representing Acme."
It is extremely likely that that the film, which stars Cena, will never be officially released.
In November 2023, The Hollywood Reporter reported that the film had been canceled by Warner Bros Discovery and would not be released despite filming having been completed on the live action-CGI film. Cena was to play Coyote's former boss at Acme.
“With the re-launch of Warner Bros. Pictures Animation in June, the studio has shifted its global strategy to focus on theatrical releases,” a WB Motion Picture Group spokesperson told The Hollywood Reporter in a statement at the time. “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.”
WBD had decided not to release the film in order to take a big tax break. They had made similar decisions on a Scooby Doo animated film that was finished, Holiday Haunt as well as most famously, a Batgirl live action film film that was to have featured Michael Keaton, which was in post-production at the time the film was shut down, taken out of the hands of the filmmakers and will never be seen.
After there was great backlash to the Coyote being shelved, Deadline Hollywood reported in December 2023 that Netflix and Paramount made formal bids for the hybrid live-action animated comedy starring John Cena. Paramount's proposal would feature a 2024 theatrical release along with streaming. Deadline sources stated at the time that Warner Bros. Discovery wants "$70 million and then some" which would cover the initial tax write-off for Warner Bros. Discovery wanted. Reportedly, Amazon was also mulling over putting in a bid, while Apple and Sony who have also seen the film, are not.
Last year, the film's Director Dave Green wrote on his social media, "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 honor 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."
However, The Wrap is now reporting that WBD just wants to "close the book" on the film and take the tax break. WBD head David Zaslav is reported to have never actually watched the film and according to the report, is looking to "delete the film."
Production took place in 2022 in New Mexico.
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