Warner Bros. has reversed course on its original decision to shelve the already completed Coyote vs. Acme for a $30 million tax write-off and will allow the film’s makers to shop for a buyer.
As Breitbart News reported, a massive backlash erupted online after news broke the studio would be burying the completed film in order to get a tax-write-off, effectively destroying the creatives’ chances of having their work seen by the public.
“With the re-launch of Warner Bros. Pictures Animation in June, the studio has shifted its global strategy to focus on theatrical releases,” said a studio spokesperson 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,” they added.
Director Dave Green released a gracious statement, expressing hope the movie will be seen by audiences one day while emphasizing he and his creative team were faithful to the original characters. It should also be noted that nothing had ever indicated the movie would fall prey to the same woke traps that have troubled Disney films.
— Dave Green (@dgreenmachine) November 9, 2023
According to Variety, the studio will now let the filmmakers shop the movie to other distributors.
Amazon and Netflix were active buyers during the pandemic as traditional studios were siphoning off films for extra cash, but nothing has been ironed out for “Coyote vs. Acme.” Sources familiar with negotiations say the movie hasn’t been screened yet.
In these instances, rights go to the highest bidder. It’s unclear if another company would want to buy a movie that Warner Bros. deemed unworthy to release on the big or small screen. But streaming services always need fresh content, especially of the family-friendly variety, to keep subscribers.
The film, which stars John Cena and Lana Condor, reportedly cost $70 million to make and marked the third movie in two years that Warner Bros. has shelved for tax purposes: Batgirl and the Scoob! Holiday Haunt.
Filmmakers and creatives on social media celebrated the news Coyote vs. Acme had a chance at life.
A lot of big company "employers" forget we are not just cogs in their machine. We are working WITH you to make something you sell, but they are made with our time, minds, & hearts. That's true outside Hollywood, & it's especially true when art is at stake https://t.co/ixig5GjCkh
— AB (@AlannaBennett) November 13, 2023
I can believe it.
Zaslav likely thought, "Who will care about this?" but after the first round of these…this suggested a PATTERN of behavior, not an anomaly.
Particular when the people who worked on it started to clap back, rightfully angry.
This did a LOT of damage to WB. https://t.co/azZQ3OLgmB
— Derek Halliday (Blue Sky: DTHalliday.bsky.social ) (@DTHalliday) November 14, 2023
Paul Roland Bois directed the award-winning feature film, EXEMPLUM, which can be viewed for FREE on YouTube or Tubi. A high-quality, ad-free stream can also be purchased on Google Play or Vimeo on Demand. Follow him on Twitter @prolandfilms or Instagram @prolandfilms.
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