Wile E. Coyote's cartoon nemesis reaches only 26 miles per hour in real life, wildlife data shows, as Coyote vs. Acme, in UK cinemas since 21 August, revives the decades-old chase for a new generation.
TL;DR
- A real greater roadrunner tops out at roughly 26 mph — fast for a bird, but not cartoon-fast.
- Coyotes are the quicker animal in real life, capable of up to 43 mph.
- Coyote vs. Acme has a 96% critics' score on Rotten Tomatoes and a PG certificate from the BBFC in the UK.
- The film, once shelved by Warner Bros., has taken $46.4 million worldwide in its first eleven days.
Just how fast is a real roadrunner?
Looney Tunes has spent seven decades selling audiences on a bird that outruns rockets. The real animal is slower, but still impressive.
According to the Cornell Lab of Ornithology's All About Birds, the greater roadrunner is largely a ground-dwelling member of the cuckoo family that relies on running rather than flight to escape danger.
26 mph Top recorded speed of a greater roadrunner Source: National Wildlife Federation
That is enough to beat most human joggers, but well short of the "meep meep" blur audiences grew up with. The National Wildlife Federation puts the bird's upper speed at around 25 to 26 mph, achieved in short, low-slung sprints across open desert ground.
Could a coyote actually catch one?
In the cartoons, Wile E. Coyote never lands a hit. In the desert, real coyotes do it regularly.
43 mph Top speed of a coyote Source: Cornell Lab of Ornithology
Cornell Lab researchers note that coyotes can reach a top speed of more than 40 mph, over twice as fast as their feathered prey. Roadrunners survive not through raw pace but through sharp, unpredictable turns and their limited ability to fly short distances to safety.
What the new film changes about the chase
Coyote vs. Acme swaps the open desert for a courtroom. Directed by Dave Green, the film sees Wile E. Coyote hire down-on-his-luck lawyer Kevin Avery, played by Will Forte, to sue the Acme Corporation over decades of faulty products. John Cena plays Acme's opposing counsel.
The film keeps the cartoon's core joke intact: Wile E. Coyote never speaks and communicates only through handwritten signs, exactly as in the original Chuck Jones shorts. Reviews have been strong. Frank Scheck, film critic for The Hollywood Reporter, said in a review for the title that the film is "a hilarious delight."
The production itself had a rocky road. Warner Bros. Discovery shelved the completed film in November 2023 as a reported tax write-off, a decision that triggered fan backlash before independent distributor Ketchup Entertainment acquired the rights in March 2025.
UK release, rating and box office
The film opened with UK preview screenings on 21 August, ahead of a wide release on 28 August through Altitude Film Distribution, the same date it reached US cinemas.
According to the British Board of Film Classification, the film carries a PG certificate in the UK, with content advice citing mild bad language, threat and injury detail, all presented in a cartoon style.
96% Rotten Tomatoes critics' score Source: Rotten Tomatoes
$46.4 million Worldwide box office after eleven days Source: Box Office Watch
The 96% score, drawn from more than 100 reviews, makes it the highest-rated live-action Looney Tunes film to date. At the worldwide box office, the film had taken $46.4 million after eleven days in cinemas, against an estimated $70 million production budget, according to Box Office Watch.
Reported from publicly available interviews and verified press sources. Last reviewed 10 September 2026.
About the author: Lewis Calvert founded BriefLedger and has six years of experience covering film, TV, and entertainment news. He leads the site's Movies and TV sections and runs the news desk — always with a straight-talking British take.
