“Movies Must Be Seen”: Batgirl Movie Directors Address Coyote Vs. Acme’s Shelving By Warner Bros.

Summary Batgirl directors share their take on Coyote vs. Acme being the latest movie to be shelved, expressing their concern about this recent trend in Hollywood.

Adil El Arbi and Bilall Fallah give their support to Coyote vs. Acme director Dave Green.

It remains uncertain what will eventually happen to Coyote vs. Acme despite being screened and opening up bids for potential buyers.

Adil El Arbi and Bilall Fallah, directors of the cancelled Batgirl movie, have weighed in on Warner Bros. shelving Coyote Vs. Acme. Originally planned to be released on Max in 2022, Warner Bros. caused shock waves throughout the industry when they decided to shelve the nearly completed DCEU movie along with the animated feature Scoob! Holiday Haunt. In November 2023, the studio followed suit by shelving the live-action/animated hybrid movie Coyote Vs. Acme, though, since then, Warner Bros. has seemingly reversed course multiple times and is reportedly still looking to shop the film to potential buyers.

Screen Rant recently spoke with El Arbi and Fallah on the red carpet for the release of Bad Boys: Ride or Die, and asked about the growing trend of cancelling already completed movies. Revealing the pair are friends with Coyote Vs. Acme director Dave Green, El Arbi suggested that movies are intended to be seen, and it is up to audiences to judge them. Check out his comments below:

Well, yeah, it's an extra thing to worry about in Hollywood, and that's sad. I think that we all are artists. We are friends with Dave Green; he's our boy. We hope that he will be able to do a movie in the future. I think that movies must be seen by the audience, and the audience must judge them.

Will Audiences Ever See Batgirl Or Coyote Vs. Acme?

At Least One Movie's Fate Remains Uncertain.

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Whether Coyote Vs. Acme will be able to escape the same fate as Batgirl remains to be seen, and, at least at this stage, there is still some hope that audiences may get a chance to view it.

While Hollywood professionals are more than accustomed to seeing potential projects shelved before cameras ever have a chance to roll, the decision by Warner Bros. to shelve movies like Batgirl and Coyote Vs. Acme is unusual given how close they both were to being released. To make matters even more confusing, the buzz surrounding Coyote Vs. Acme often compared it to the classic 1988 blockbuster Who Framed Roger Rabbit? Moreover, it was later reported that Amazon, Paramount, and Netflix were all interested in grabbing the movie's distribution rights.

Related Every Canceled DCEU Movie & What Happened The DCEU has an extensive history of ups and downs over the years, including several movies that were announced but that ended up never being made.

Despite this, however, in April of this year, it was reported that Warner Bros. was still actively looking for potential buyers for Coyote Vs. Acme and reports of its official cancellation in favor of a $35-40 million tax write-down were inaccurate. On the other hand, though, it would seem that Batgirl has been definitively shelved, with current DC Studios co-CEO Peter Safran saying the movie was “not releasable.” Claiming the movie would not be able to compete in theaters, due to being “built for the small screen,” Safran suggested its release could have potentially harmed the DC brand.

Coyote Vs. Acme Cancellation Timeline

Date Project Status November 9, 2023 Warner Bros. Discovery announces Coyote Vs Acme cancellation. November 13, 2023 Reports emerged that Warner Bros. Discovery reversed their decision and allowed the filmmakers to shop the movie to other buyers. December 8, 2023 Reports emerge that Coyote Vs. Acme is being screened for other studios, with Netflix and Paramount reportedly making official bids. February 9, 2024 It is reported Warner Bros. Discovery rejected bids from Netflix, Amazon, and Paramount and wanted $70-80 million. April 9, 2024 An unnamed Warner Bros. spokesman tells the New York Times that Coyote Vs. Acme is not cancelled and remains available for potential acquisition.

Whether Coyote Vs. Acme will be able to escape the same fate as Batgirl remains to be seen, and, at least at this stage, there is still some hope that audiences may get a chance to view it. With any luck, a prospective buyer can finally offer Warner Bros. the price they are looking for and allow the viewing public to judge the finished product for themselves, especially considering the Coyote Vs. Acme's cast includes Will Forte and John Cena. Directors like El Arbi and Fallah are not alone in wanting to see the finished product.