Coyote vs. Acme finally has the release date it deserves, and there is no excuse not to stream it

Coyote crouches on the end of the road looking forward in fear
Coyote in Coyote vs. Acme. (Image credit: Ketchup Entertainment)

Warner Bros. Discovery’s originally scrapped Coyote vs. Acme movie will now be released on August 28, 2026, according to an announcement made at San Diego Comic Con 2025. We’ve got Ketchup Entertainment to thank for this, who came in and saved the day when it was announced the project was shelved in 2023 to obtain a tax write-off.

In the interim years, there’s been huge a demand from fans online to get the movie released (remember #ReleaseCoyoteVsAcme and #SaveCoyoteVsAcme in early 2024?), with a funeral screening even allegedly held after the cast and creators alike, such as Will Forte, were publicly devastated by the fallout. After multiple distributors passed on the opportunity to buy the animated movie for $75–80 million, Coyote vs. Acme found its happy ending in March 2025.

Now we’ve got a confirmed release date, we also know the movie will be streaming on HBO Max as it’s a Warner Bros. project (technically, at least). However, now the release date excitement is out of the way, there’s a very real danger that fans will forget all about it in the 12 months we have to wait. Frankly, we can’t afford to not show up and stream this one, unless we want the cultural karma to bite us in the butt.

All of us need to be showing up for Coyote vs. Acme in 2026

Coyote hovers over a canyon holding a swear sign

This is exactly how I'll feel if we don't stream Coyote vs. Acme. (Image credit: Ketchup Entertainment)

If a streaming service (and we all know which one it’s the most likely to be) announces the swift cancellation of a show you were really interested in, the vacuum of social media will be the first to hear about it. Any time there has been a sniff of injustice for TV and movies in the last decade or so, we’ve quickly campaigned collectively for change. In many of these instances, pleas have fallen on deaf ears, but the tremendous collaborative efforts to get Coyote vs. Acme released was on another level.

Look, we’re simple people. All we wanted to do was watch a villainous cartoon coyote try and ruin the life of a strange-looking bird unsuccessfully, taking us straight back to the joys of our childhoods. In a world where creative industries are starting to take fewer risks though they still decide to churn out hard-hitting watches, Coyote vs. Acme felt like the perfect bridge between what’s been lacking on screen. The fact the movie is now the people’s champion makes it even more unique, and I’m convinced the finished product is going to be an all-timer.

Here’s what else I see happening, though: When the time comes for Coyote vs. Acme to have its global release, streaming or otherwise, we’ll all forget about it. Viewership will be down, social media conversation will be all but silent and none of our knights in shining armour will get any of their money back. Why do I think this? Well, let’s just say the pessimist in me has a hard time keeping her mouth shut when I’ve reported on many heated online entertainment exchanges that have dissolved into nothing. We might be steadfast fans, but we’re also fickle ones, and there will likely be some big drama or title next summer that takes our eye off the Looney Tunes ball.

So, here’s my plea to you. When August 28, 2026 rolls around and you’ve got the chance to stream Coyote vs. Acme, take it. You never know – next time one of your most-anticipated watches is in jeopardy, it may never see the light of day.

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Jasmine Valentine
Streaming Staff Writer

Jasmine is a Streaming Staff Writer for TechRadar, previously writing for outlets including Radio Times, Yahoo! and Stylist. She specialises in comfort TV shows and movies, ranging from Hallmark's latest tearjerker to Netflix's Virgin River. She's also the person who wrote an obituary for George Cooper Sr. during Young Sheldon Season 7 and still can't watch the funeral episode.

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