Will Forte Credits Fans for Saving 'Coyote vs. Acme' Movie

Will Forte is giving "Coyote vs. Acme" fans their flowers ... saying their refusal to let the movie die is the reason it's finally hitting theaters.

We got Will in New York City on Wednesday, and he told us he's pumped for people to finally see the film when it drops August 28 -- especially after he had pretty much given up on it ever seeing the light of day.

Will plays Wile E. Coyote's lawyer in the flick ... helping the Looney Tunes legend sue Acme over all those faulty contraptions that have blown up in his face over the years -- and John Cena plays the head of Acme's legal team.

As Will tells it, the movie was finished and testing well when Warner Bros. decided not to release it ... a move that left him feeling like he was being "gaslit" after he finally watched the finished product and thought it was fantastic.

Will says he eventually moved on emotionally after a year or more in limbo ... but fans didn't.