Greetings again from the darkness. For those of us who grew up belly-laughing at Looney Tunes, the characters are considered sacred ground, so a bit of anxiety hits when movies like SPACE JAM (1996) hit the big screen. This especially holds true for this latest from director Dave Green, since we know so many of the beloved characters will be on display. Samy Burch (MAY DECEMBER, 2023) adapted the screenplay from a 1990 article in “The New Yorker”, with an assist from James Gunn (SUPERMAN, 2025) and Jeremy Slater (FANTASTIC FOUR, 2015). The blend of animation and live action is reminiscent of the 1988 classic, WHO FRAMED ROGER RABBIT.
The two opening scenes set a high bar. A tongue-in-cheek title card reading “Based on a True Story” leads to the two action sequences. Dr. Lorre frantically escapes from Acme Labs and the more familiar pacing of Wile E Coyote trying (yet again) to nab the Road Runner serve as an introduction to the endless stream of Acme products that the amazingly persistent Wile E Coyote has used during his decades long bird chasing. Persistence is usually an admirable trait, though in this case it has led to his stockpile of gadgets and his shot in court … once he sees the advertisement by local law firm Avery, Jones, and Maltese (a nod to original Warner Bros animators Tex Avery, Chuck Jones, and Michael Maltese). Will Forte plays lawyer Kevin Avery whose catchphrase is “There’s always someone to blame”. Avery is a lazy lawyer and his specialty is quickly settling damage suits and then moving on to the next one.
Think of Kevin Avery’s approach as similar to what we saw on “Better Call Saul”. Avery’s hand gets forced when Wile E Coyote’s case against Acme becomes massive – thanks to Avery’s niece Paige (an excellent Lana Condor) – and a settlement collapse with Acme’s arrogant lead attorney, Buddy Crane (John Cena in alpha-male mode) falls through. Paige’s idealism contrasts with Avery’s skepticism and Crane’s over-confidence, making for quite a show in the courtroom run by Luis Guzman’s judge.
Many scenes were filmed in Albuquerque, New Mexico – one of Bugs Bunny’s favorite spots – and the desert landscape makes for the perfect setting. Wile E Coyote is the epitome of a silent movie star, and we are reminded that he has ‘a limited number of signs’ for communicating. He has long been the aggressor and is now the victim seeking justice … going against the powerful mega corporation. Along the way, we see many of our Looney Tunes favorites, including Daffy Duck, Granny, Tweety Bird, Elmer Fudd, Yosemite Sam, Witch Hazel, and Foghorn Leghorn (as Acme’s CEO). Many of the voices are provided by the great Eric Bauza – though of course, the legendary Mel Blanc lives on in our hearts (and ears).
Looney Tunes has long magically combined silliness with seriousness. This film (along with the human characters) play it straight, which ensures the comedy lands perfectly. Warner Bros had previously shelved the project (for tax purposes) prior to finding the new distributor. Even the politics and finances of Hollywood couldn’t stop this crew. The legacy of these iconic cartoon characters remains intact, and Looney Tunes fans will surely be satisfied. Meep Meep.
In theaters beginning August 28, 2026
Movie Reviews from the Dark 