Audiences will be seeing the ‘Suicide Squad’ and ‘Peacemaker’ star in court, defending ACME Corporation from a looney lawsuit over its faulty mail-order devices, in the just announced Warner Bros. live-action / CG animation hybrid film.
From Suicide Squad to Looney Tune Land, John Cena continues to expand his working relationship with Warner Bros., inking a deal to star in Coyote vs. Acme -- a new live-action / CG animation hybrid feature that follows the misadventures of classic cartoon character Wile E. Coyote.
Based on Ian Frazier’s 1990 humor article “Coyote v. Acme,” the movie is scripted by Samy Burch, and will be directed by Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Out of the Shadows helmer Dave Green. Mixing courtroom procedural and zany comedic elements, the story is centered on a down-and-out billboard lawyer who decides to represent Wile. E. Coyote in his lawsuit against ACME Corporation over its defective products.
Cena will play the lawyer’s former boss, who defends ACME in the case. The film is set to go before cameras in New Mexico in late March.
Cena’s casting marks yet another major leap forward for the multi-faceted performer, whose stardom as a WWE wrestler snowballed into memorable appearances in the raunchy profane comedies Blockers and Vacation Friends, and more wholesome comedies like Playing With Fire. He’s also been a consistent action lead, starring in such franchise films as F9: The Fast Saga and The Suicide Squad.
Cena’s character in The Suicide Squad, the Peacemaker, was given his own series, eponymously titled Peacemaker, which premiered on HBO Max in January and was renewed for a second season earlier this week. The series’ creator and showrunner, James Gunn, is now set to produce Coyote vs. Acme, alongside Chris DeFaria.
Max Weinstein is a writer and editor based in Los Angeles. He is the Editor-at-Large of 'Dread Central' and former Editorial Director of 'MovieMaker.' His work has been featured in 'Cineaste,' 'Fangoria,' 'Playboy,' 'Vice,' and 'The Week.'
