Ketchup Entertainment’s live-action and animated hybrid Coyote vs. Acme has officially qualified for Best Animated Feature consideration at the 2027 Academy Awards, marking a remarkable turnaround after the completed film was nearly shelved permanently by Warner Bros. for tax write-off purposes. Gold Derby confirmed the eligibility ruling, setting up a potential landmark moment for the Looney Tunes franchise.
Eligibility and Category Precedents
- The Academy ruled that Coyote vs. Acme meets the requirement for Best Animated Feature, which dictates that animation must comprise at least 75% of the film’s runtime.
- If nominated, it would become the second live-action and animation hybrid to secure a nomination in the category, following Marcel the Shell with Shoes On.
- The film marks the first Looney Tunes film to score a nomination in this category.
Rescue from the Studio Dumpster
The path to Oscar eligibility represents a stark reversal from the project’s near-death experience. David Zaslav attempted to write off the finished film for tax purposes. Ketchup Entertainment stepped in, acquiring worldwide distribution rights for $50 million.
Variety’s early predictions for Best Animated Feature at the 2027 Oscars include:• Forgotten Island• Ray Gunn• Tangles• Toy Story 5• Wildwood pic.twitter.com/XmGfxng5gJ
Following its distribution rescue, the film performed strongly at the box office, grossing over $125 million globally while pulling in positive reviews from critics. The commercial success paired with the recent Academy ruling validates the persistence of the creative team, which includes stars Will Forte and John Cena alongside Looney Tunes favorites.
Upcoming Competitive Landscape
Securing eligibility places the hybrid feature into an increasingly crowded race for the 2027 Oscars. Coyote vs. Acme will face off against high-profile studio contenders including LAIKA’s stop-motion fantasy epic Wildwood, Disney’s Toy Story 5 and Hoppers, and Brad Bird’s Ray Gunn.
| Film Title | Distributor / Studio | Animation Style |
|---|---|---|
| Coyote vs. Acme | Ketchup Entertainment | Live-Action / Animation Hybrid |
| Wildwood | LAIKA | Stop-Motion |
| Toy Story 5 | Pixar | CGI Animation |
Home Video Rollout and Unresolved Questions
As the studio mounts an expected awards campaign for the feature, commercial availability is expanding. The movie is currently available for pre-order on 4K Ultra HD via Amazon, with physical copies officially shipping on December 1st.
Whether the Academy’s “pending further review” caveat on hybrid runtime thresholds will affect final voting remains entirely unknown, as does the scale of Ketchup Entertainment’s upcoming theatrical and guild screening push.
