Will Forte Says Fans' Outcry Got COYOTE VS. ACME Into Theaters
The actor describes an off-screen underdog battle that mirrored the film's own plot.
Will Forte stopped by TODAY to discuss Coyote vs. ACME, the live-action/animated film in which he plays the attorney representing Wile E. Coyote in a lawsuit against the corporation behind his endless string of faulty products. During the appearance, Forte credited the film's fanbase with saving it from obscurity, telling TODAY, "It is really because of these fans who made so much noise and wouldn't give up that this on-screen story of an underdog fighting a big corporation became the off-screen story too."
Forte touched on the dynamic between Coyote and Road Runner central to the film's plot, as well as the pressure that came with adapting such a beloved and long-running cartoon property for a new format. He has been promoting the film across several television appearances in recent weeks, including a joint conversation with co-star Lana Condor about the easter eggs and creative rules built into the movie to honor the Looney Tunes legacy.
The film's road to release became part of its own story, according to Forte, after fan pressure reportedly played a role in reversing an earlier decision to shelve the movie rather than distribute it in theaters. That saga has become a recurring topic in his press rounds, with Forte drawing a direct line between the coyote's on-screen fight against a corporate giant and the real-world campaign waged by supporters of the film.
Forte also appeared on THE TONIGHT SHOW STARRING Jimmy Fallon to discuss the film, an appearance that included a lighter moment involving a pair of used Wile E. Coyote socks. More on his comments about the film's journey to theaters and its underdog parallels can be found in prior BroadwayWorld coverage of that appearance.
