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Coyote vs. Acme Opens Strong After Resurrection, Finishes Second at Box Office

Coyote vs. Acme, the Looney Tunes film that was shelved by Warner Bros. before being rescued by Ketchup Entertainment, debuted with $15.5 million, finishing second behind Spider-Man: Brand New Day. The film earned an A CinemaScore and a 95% Rotten Tomatoes score, marking a major win for the indie distributor.

By Tertius News AI Desk 4 distinct · 4 mastheads · 4 articles Version 4 Coverage Aug 23–31, 2026 Published 1d ago

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A Comeback at the Box Office

Three years after Warner Bros. shelved the finished film as a tax write-off, "Coyote vs. Acme" finally hit theaters, debuting with an estimated $15.5 million in ticket sales over the weekend. The film, which stars Will Forte, Lana Condor, and John Cena, finished second at the North American box office behind "Spider-Man: Brand New Day," which grossed $22.2 million in its fifth consecutive weekend at No. 1.

Ketchup Entertainment, which acquired the film's distribution rights for about $50 million, celebrated its biggest opening ever, surpassing the debut of "The Day the Earth Blew Up." The film's $15.5 million start exceeded earlier projections, which had ranged from $12 million to $18 million, according to Box Office Pro.

From Tax Write-Off to Theatrical Release

The film's journey to the big screen was anything but smooth. Warner Bros. initially shelved the completed movie in late 2023, opting to take a tax write-off rather than release it. The decision sparked public outcry, particularly after director Dave Green's film had already finished production on a roughly $70 million budget.

Warner Bros. eventually allowed the film to be shopped to other distributors, and Ketchup Entertainment stepped in to acquire worldwide rights for about $50 million. The film is based on an Ian Frazier "Shouts and Murmurs" column in The New Yorker, and follows Wile E. Coyote as he sues the Acme Corporation for its faulty products, with appearances from Bugs Bunny and Daffy Duck.

Director Dave Green celebrated the release on social media, writing on Friday: "Coyote vs. Acme is finally, gloriously, in theaters now. WE WON."

Reception and Long-Term Prospects

The film has been well-received by both audiences and critics. Moviegoers gave it an "A" CinemaScore, and it holds a 95% approval rating from Rotten Tomatoes critics. David A. Gross, who publishes the box office newsletter FranchiseRe, noted that while the opening numbers are "fair," the reception is "excellent" and the film should perform well in ancillary markets, where it "should recoup its investment."

According to The Hollywood Reporter, the film's debut is the biggest for Ketchup Entertainment, surpassing "The Day the Earth Blew Up," which opened to $3.5 million in March 2025. However, the opening was softer than recent hybrid live-action/animation films, which have averaged $23.2 million in their debuts.

The Weekend's Other Notable Releases

Ridley Scott's "The Dog Stars," starring Jacob Elordi, opened in fifth place with just $8 million domestically, a disappointing result for a film that cost between $70 million and $100 million to produce. The film, about a pilot and a German Shepherd surviving a global pandemic, added $11.3 million overseas. It marks Scott's lowest box office start since 2021's "The Last Duel."

Meanwhile, "Spider-Man: Brand New Day" continues to dominate, having grossed $2.33 billion worldwide, making it the fourth highest-grossing film of all time. Its domestic total has also reached second place all-time, behind "Star Wars: Episode VII — The Force Awakens."

The overall summer box office totaled $97 million for the weekend, down slightly from the previous weekend, according to The Hollywood Reporter. The top five films by domestic box office were "Spider-Man: Brand New Day," "Coyote vs. Acme," "The Odyssey," "Insidious: Out of the Further," and "The Dog Stars."

How each outlet told it

A framing line is our reading of that outlet's own text — an interpretation, not a quotation and not a fact we assert. Check it against what the outlet published.

The Arizona Republic

Framing: The headline frames the film's release as a victory for the underdog, both in the movie's plot and in the context of its production battle with Warner Bros. — celebratory and sympathetic

as of Aug 24, 2026, 1:16 PM UTC

Facts Included:

The film is a live-action/animated comedy based on a 1992 New Yorker story
The film follows Wile E. Coyote suing the Acme corporation for its faulty products
Warner Bros. Discovery initially shelved the finished movie for a tax write-off
The movie includes appearances from Bugs Bunny and Daffy Duck
It is directed by Dave Green
The cast includes Will Forte, John Cena, and Lana Condor

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The Hollywood Reporter

Framing: Box office results, highlighting Coyote vs. Acme's second-place finish and The Dog Stars' poor performance. — measured and analytical

as of Aug 30, 2026, 5:46 PM UTC

Facts Included:

Coyote vs. Acme finished second at the box office behind Spider-Man: Brand New Day.
Coyote vs. Acme earned an A CinemaScore and stars Lana Condor, John Cena, and Wile E. Coyote.
The film's debut is the biggest for Ketchup Entertainment, surpassing The Day the Earth Blew Up.
Coyote vs. Acme was shelved as a tax write-off in late 2023, then Ketchup acquired rights for $50 million after director Dave Green's film had a $70 million budget.
Coyote vs. Acme has a 95% approval rating from Rotten Tomatoes critics.
The Dog Stars opened in fifth place, grossing $8 million domestically, with a 41% critics approval and 70 audience score on Rotten Tomatoes.
Ridley Scott's The Dog Stars is his lowest box office start since 2021's The Last Duel.
Spider-Man: Brand New Day is the second-highest-grossing domestic title ever, behind Star Wars: Episode VII — The Force Awakens.
Globally, Spider-Man: Brand New Day is No. 4 all-time with $2.332 billion.
The summer 2026 box office total was $97 million for the weekend, down from the previous weekend.

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The Manila Times

Framing: Highlights the opening for Coyote vs. Acme and the continued dominance of Spider-Man: Brand New Day. — celebratory and measured

as of Aug 31, 2026, 6:21 AM UTC

Facts Included:

Coyote vs. Acme opened with an estimated $15.5 million in ticket sales over the weekend.
Spider-Man: Brand New Day topped the North American box office for the fifth weekend in a row.
Coyote vs. Acme debuted in second place.
The Dog Stars, starring Jacob Elordi, opened in fifth place with $8 million.
The Dog Stars cost between $70 million and $100 million to make.
Coyote vs. Acme was canceled by Warner Bros. in 2023.
Warner Bros. also shelved Batgirl and Scoob! Holiday Haunt, both unreleased.
Coyote vs. Acme is based on an Ian Frazier 'Shouts and Murmurs' New Yorker column.
Coyote vs. Acme stars Will Forte, John Cena, Lana Condor, and Eric Bauza.
The film is directed by Dave Green and cost $70 million to make.
Ketchup Entertainment acquired worldwide distribution rights for about $50 million.
Director Dave Green said on social media on Friday: 'Coyote vs. Acme is finally, gloriously, in theaters now. WE WON.'
Moviegoers gave Coyote vs. Acme an 'A' CinemaScore.
Coyote vs. Acme rated fresh on Rotten Tomatoes at 95%.
The opening weekend for Coyote vs. Acme was the best ever for Ketchup Entertainment.
David A. Gross, who publishes the box office newsletter FranchiseRe, said: 'The box office numbers are fair, but the reception is excellent and the release should set up good ancillary business for kids, where the film should recoup its investment.'
The Odyssey has grossed $1.55 billion globally.
The top five films by domestic box office: Spider-Man: Brand New Day, Coyote vs. Acme, The Odyssey, Insidious: Out of the Further, and The Dog Stars.

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/FILM

Framing: The headline poses the question of whether Coyote vs. Acme can be a box office hit after being resurrected from cancellation.

as of Aug 23, 2026, 4:20 PM UTC

Facts Included:

Coyote vs. Acme is directed by Dave Green
It is currently expected to earn between $12 and $18 million domestically at the box office, per Box Office Pro
Earlier estimates were between $3 and $8 million
Ketchup Entertainment acquired the movie for a reported $50 million
Spider-Man: No Way Home recently became the eighth movie to pass the $2 billion milestone
The movie opens directly against Ridley Scott's The Dog Stars, which will do between $18 and $23 million
The film stars Will Forte and John Cena
Ketchup Entertainment was behind The Day the Earth Blew Up, which took in just over $16 million worldwide
Ketchup Entertainment was also behind Hypnotic, which took in $16 million on a $65 million budget
The movie hits theaters on August 28, 2026

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What was claimed, and who backed it

AI-extracted; can misattribute a claim — see Methodology.

Claim	Confidence	Status
ClaimSpider-Man: No Way Home recently passed the $2 billion mark.	ConfidenceHigh	StatusSingle-source via Forbes as of Sep 1, 2026, 5:47 AM UTC
ClaimThe Coyote vs. Acme release date is Aug. 28, 2026.	ConfidenceHigh	StatusSingle-source via The Arizona Republic as of Aug 24, 2026, 1:16 PM UTC

Transparency & Audit Trail

4 distinct · 4 mastheads · 4 articles consulted: The Arizona Republic, The Hollywood Reporter, The Manila Times, /FILM 2 claims extracted Version 4 Written 2026-09-01