Ian Frazier and Samy Burch on “Coyote vs. Acme”

About this episode

<p>In the film “Coyote vs. Acme,” which was released this week, the ingenious but unlucky Wile E. Coyote sues the Acme Corporation for damages caused by its malfunctioning merchandise. That is also the premise of the <i>New Yorker </i>staff writer Ian Frazier’s <a href="https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/1990/02/26/coyote-v-acme" rel="noopener noreferrer">original piece</a>, which inspired the film. The screenwriter Samy Burch reimagined Frazier’s premise as a satire of legal thrillers. “What if Wile E. was actually like a Dustin Hoffman character?” Burch wondered. “This guy out in the desert, working on something obsessively, addicted.&nbsp;.&nbsp;.&nbsp;.&nbsp;If this were humans, would the plot make any sense?” The film features actors such as Will Forte alongside Coyote, Foghorn Leghorn, and other “Looney Tunes” characters. Frazier talks with Burch, who was nominated for an Academy Award for “<a href="https://www.newyorker.com/culture/the-front-row/may-december-knows-what-it-thinks-and-thats-a-problem" rel="noopener noreferrer">May December</a>,” a drama starring Natalie Portman and Julianne Moore.&nbsp;</p> <p>Further reading:</p> <ul> <li>“<a href="https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/1990/02/26/coyote-v-acme" rel="noopener noreferrer">Coyote V. Acme</a>,” by Ian Frazier</li> <li>“<a href="https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2026/08/24/coyote-vs-acme-movie-review" rel="noopener noreferrer">Toons Have Seldom Been Loonier Than in ‘Coyote vs. Acme</a>,’&nbsp;” by Justin Chang</li> </ul> <p>New episodes of The New Yorker Radio Hour drop every Tuesday and Friday. Join host David Remnick as he discusses the latest in politics, news, and current events in conversation with political leaders, newsmakers, innovators, <i>New Yorker</i> staff writers, authors, actors, and musicians.</p><br/> <p>Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See <a href="https://pcm.adswizz.com">pcm.adswizz.com</a> for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.</p>