Three years after Warner Bros. abruptly canceled 'Coyote vs. Acme', the Looney Tunes feature film that received a second chance thanks to Ketchup Entertainment debuted with an estimated $15,5 million in ticket sales over the weekend, AP noted.
'Spider-Man: Brand New Day' topped the North American box office for the fifth consecutive weekend. It earned $22,2 million in theaters across the United States and Canada, according to studio estimates released Sunday, bringing its worldwide total to $2.330 billion and making it the fourth highest-grossing film of all time.
'Coyote vs. Acme', which had been relegated to the forgotten pile, was the best performer among the new releases and debuted in second place.
Ridley Scott's post-apocalyptic action drama 'The Dog Stars', starring Jacob Elordi, was a flop. The film, about a pilot and a German Shepherd who survive a global pandemic, opened in fifth place with $8 million for 20th Century Studios. It added $11,3 million overseas, a poor result for a film that cost $100 million to produce.
'Coyote vs. Acme', however, managed a decent opening. In 2023, Warner Bros. canceled any further releases of the completed film, opting instead to take advantage of a tax deduction for a film originally produced for its streaming service, HBO Max. Warner also shelved 'Batgirl' and 'Scoob! Holiday Haunt', both of which remain unreleased.
'Coyote vs. Acme', based on Ian Frazier's 'Shouts and Murmurs' column in The New Yorker, is about Wile E. Coyote, who sues the Acme Corporation for its defective products. It stars Will Forte, John Cena, Lana Condor, and Eric Bauza.
The film, a live-action/animated hybrid directed by Dave Green, cost $70 million. But despite receiving good ratings in test screenings, Warner Bros. decided to pull it. Following the ensuing outrage, the studio put the film up for sale. Early last year, Ketchup Entertainment acquired the worldwide distribution rights for approximately $50 million.
For the filmmakers, simply releasing the film was a victory.
Green posted on social media Friday: “'Coyote vs. Acme' is finally, gloriously, in theaters now.” “Which means one thing. WE WON.”
The reviews and audience scores were also positive. Viewers gave it an "A" CinemaScore. Critics were equally enthusiastic. On Rotten Tomatoes, it earned a 95% approval rating.
While the result might be considered a disappointment for some $70 million films, the opening weekend of 'Coyote vs. Acme' was the best ever for Ketchup. The independent distributor's previous record was 'The Day the Earth Blew Up' (a $3,1 million opening) in 2024, another Looney Tunes outtake produced by Warner.
“The box office numbers are acceptable, but the reception is excellent and the opening should boost a good secondary business for children's consumption, where the film should recoup its investment,” commented David A. Gross, who publishes the FranchiseRe box office newsletter.
'The Odyssey', in its seventh weekend, dropped to third place with $14,3 million. It remains unusually strong overseas, where Christopher Nolan's film grossed $48,6 million over the weekend. In total, the Universal Pictures release has accumulated $1.550 billion in global sales.
