Democratic Rep Calls for Federal Probe After ‘Coyote Vs. Acme’ Debacle
Rep. Joaquin Castro (D-TX) is putting Warner Bros. Discovery on notice, calling for federal authorities to look into whether the studio violated antitrust guidelines in scheming to mothball Coyote Vs. Acme. “The WBD tactic of scrapping fully made films for tax breaks is predatory and anti-competitive,” the lawmaker tweeted on Tuesday. “As the Justice Department and @FTC revise their antitrust guidelines they should review this conduct. As someone remarked, it’s like burning down a building for the insurance money.” The completed $70 million feature film, which was initially slated to be shelved despite testing well with audiences, would have been the studio’s third project to have been axed for the sake of a tax break in less than two years, after Batgirl and the Scoob! sequel. But Puck News reported earlier this week that the live-action animation hybrid would be shopped to other potential buyers this week, getting a second chance at life thanks to the righteous fury of movie fans on the internet.
The @WBD tactic of scrapping fully made films for tax breaks is predatory and anti-competitive.
As the Justice Department and @FTC revise their antitrust guidelines they should review this conduct.
As someone remarked, it’s like burning down a building for the insurance money. https://t.co/Vb8vj3brD7— Joaquin Castro (@JoaquinCastrotx) November 14, 2023
