‘Coyote vs. Acme’ Achieves Unprecedented Box Office and Critical Success

Few films this year have a backstory as unique as that of Warner Bros.’ long-shelved animated comedy. What began as an internal casualty of studio cost-cutting has evolved into one of 2026’s most unexpected theatrical success stories, defying nearly every expectation set for it since its original cancellation.

That film is ‘Coyote vs. Acme,’ the live-action/animated hybrid centered around Wile E. Coyote’s long-standing feud with the Acme Corporation, which finally hit theaters after years of uncertainty. Directed by Dave Green and featuring Will Forte as a lawyer representing the perpetually unlucky coyote in a lawsuit against Acme, the film’s journey to release became almost as noteworthy as the movie itself.

Now, that journey has paid off dramatically. ‘Coyote vs. Acme’ opened to over $30 million globally during its debut weekend, a figure that comes alongside impressive critical and audience reception, including a 95% score on Rotten Tomatoes, a 94% audience score, and an A CinemaScore from opening-weekend viewers.

This combination of figures represents a rare alignment in modern cinema, where box office success and critical acclaim don’t always coincide. For a film that Warner Bros. Discovery had initially dismissed entirely as a tax-related cancellation back in 2023, this turnaround stands as a true underdog story within the industry.

The film’s revival was made possible by Ketchup Entertainment, the independent distributor that acquired the rights for a reported $50 million after significant backlash from fans and filmmakers over the original shelving decision. This backlash was influential enough to change the project’s fate entirely, turning what was meant to be a permanent write-off into a theatrical release.

The film’s opening also marked a franchise-best debut for Ketchup Entertainment, more than quadrupling the distributor’s previous record set by 2024’s ‘The Day the Earth Blew Up,’ which opened to just $3.1 million. This kind of leap highlights the pent-up demand that had built for the film during its years in limbo.

In addition to Forte, the cast includes John Cena, Lana Condor, and Eric Bauza, blending live-action performances with classic Looney Tunes animation in a format that critics have praised for successfully modernizing the beloved slapstick formula without losing its original charm. The strong PostTrak definite recommend numbers alongside its Rotten Tomatoes score indicate that the reception is not just positive, but genuinely enthusiastic among both critics and general audiences.

Director Dave Green publicly celebrated the release by thanking the fans whose persistent campaign helped save the film, framing the theatrical debut as a shared victory between the filmmakers and the audience that refused to let the project fade away. Given how rare it is for a shelved studio film to not only see release but also thrive commercially and critically, ‘Coyote vs. Acme’ has quickly become one of the more uplifting stories of this year’s box office landscape.

With strong word of mouth already building on top of its impressive opening numbers, the film appears well-positioned to continue attracting audiences well beyond its debut weekend.

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