We’ve all been there. A film adaptation of a favorite book, TV show, video game, or even board game is announced. The cast—decent. The trailer—promising. The film? Absolute garbage. You leave the theatre with your trust in the franchise absolutely decimated, make scathing critiques on social media, and sadly return to consuming the original media—or maybe you log onto AO3 and write your own version of the movie. I don’t judge.
Book to movie adaptations have run rampant in the film industry for as long as it has existed, from Disney’s Snow White to the Percy Jackson films, all with varying degrees of success. One might expect the latest adaptation to hit the silver screen to fall within the same realm of “I can’t believe they did that to my babies.” However, Coyote vs. ACME is perhaps one of the most faithful movie adaptations in cinema history.
You may be wondering what exactly I’m talking about. Coyote vs. ACME isn’t based off of a book! It’s based off of the Coyote and Roadrunner Looney Tunes shorts! Well…surprise. Coyote vs. ACME, while based off of classic Looney Tunes, is also based off of a satire article from The New Yorker entitled “COYOTE V. ACME.” Written by Ian Frazier and published in 1990, the article was a mock court document from the fake case of Wile E. Coyote suing the ACME Corporation.
A good adaptation doesn’t need to hit every beat—a two hour movie is not the same as a 400 page novel, and a good screenwriter knows how to adapt to that. The important part is analyzing the character and plot, pinpointing the emotional skeleton of the story, and transplanting that into film. It requires care and love and a thorough knowledge of the source material.
Coyote vs. ACME has that love and, more importantly, it has that knowledge. This film was clearly made by people who know the Looney Tunes universe. I won’t spoil it, but even Daffy Duck, who had a minor role in this film, is a perfect blend of his original “daffy” personality and his modern-day egotistical sarcasm. Coyote vs. ACME followed the original story rules set up by Chuck Jones, kept the zany Looney Tunes chaos, implemented the sharp satire created by Ian Frazier, and added in a little scathing critique of the judicial system and a feel good ending that was truly satisfying. It’s no wonder that it’s currently at 96% on Rotten Tomatoes and has made over $100 million at the box office.
While not a traditional movie adaptation, Coyote vs. ACME managed to take Ian Frazier’s article and do what few adaptations can: take a franchise and a written concept, and adapt it with intellect, admiration, and a genuine love for the source material.
Go watch Coyote vs. ACME. It’s worth your time.
-Charis Ryan, Actor/Author