Every film has its own unique journey to the screen. Some of those journeys are more harrowing and more public than others. That’s the case for Coyote vs Acme, which at one point looked like it was never going to see the light of day. Now, it’s opening wide on Friday.

The film was a soft reboot, of sorts, for the Looney Tunes brand when it was announced, cast, and started filming in 2022. But a year later, in 2023, when Warner Bros decided to shelve a number of film projects and write off the loss, the movie was cancelled. That left many upset and hopeful it would one day see the light-of-day.

Now, it is. That gives Coyote vs Acme more of a public boost—and more pressure—than it might have had three years ago. So, does it live up to the hype? The answer is sort of.

The film focuses on our old friend Coyote who continues to try and find a way to get the Roadrunner. But his schemes always seem to fall short, often leaving him to suffer the consequences. No matter how promising the Acme product is, it just doesn’t work as expected. Soon, Coyote learns he’s not alone.

So, he turns to a lawyer named Kevin Avery (Will Forte). Avery has made a career out of suing Acme, always settling for a small claim that gets his client some quick money. But Coyote has bigger plans, pushing for a major action against Acme and its CEO, Foghorn Leghorn.

That puts Avery up against a tough corporate lawyer, Buddy Crane (John Cena). As they battle it out in court, it becomes clear that there is more to it than expected. All that could lead to a major win for Coyote and Avery, as Coyote also discovers he might have been wrong about his old nemesis Roadrunner all along.

This film comes from a screenplay by Samy Burch based on a story from him, Jeremy Green, and James Gunn—yes that James Gunn—who serves as a producer. It’s brought to life by director Dave Green, who seems to be having fun with the concept and the world. It’s nostalgic to see all these Looney Tunes favorites back on screen, too.

While this plays like a courtroom drama, it is also a comedy that examines some of these iconic characters in a new way. Bugs Bunny is like a deep throat character. Foghorn Leghorn is a corrupt CEO. Coyote is misunderstood and maybe, just maybe, finds a new friend in the Roadrunner. It’s all a spot of fun, but that isn’t consistent.

I wanted to love this movie because of my love of the Looney Tunes and because of what happened to it. I suspect I’m not alone. But the trouble is that while this is fun at times and certainly nostalgic, the bit wears thin after a while. There are some fun moments but it’s not consistent enough.

I enjoyed the idea, and I enjoyed the idea here. There is plenty to like and it’s worth seeing if only to send a message that art deserves its day in the sun. But I wish I had liked this more.

Coyote vs Acme opens wide on Friday, August 28.

Matthew Fox is a graduate of the Radio, Television and Film program at Biola University, and a giant nerd. He spends his free time watching movies, TV, and obsessing about football. He is a member of the FSWA. You can find him @knighthawk7734 on Twitter and as co-host of the Fantasy Football Roundtable Podcast.