‘Coyote vs. Acme’ Box Office Success Proves Warner Bros. Wrong

Hollywood loves a good comeback story, and few have unfolded quite like this one. A completed film, initially shelved for a tax write-off before audiences could see it, has spent recent months fighting its way back from the edge of obscurity.

This journey began in late 2023 when Warner Bros. decided to shelve ‘Coyote vs. Acme’ as part of a broader cost-cutting measure, igniting public outrage from fans and a plea for the film’s release from star Will Forte. Independent distributor Ketchup Entertainment stepped in, acquiring worldwide rights for an estimated $50 million after successfully reviving another shelved Looney Tunes project, ‘The Day the Earth Blew Up’.

Now, that gamble is paying off significantly. ‘Coyote vs. Acme’ has shown a strong second weekend at the domestic box office, earning between $15.3 million and $15.4 million over the four-day Labor Day weekend, representing a drop of only about 27 to 29% from its opening weekend.

Such a hold is notably steadier than many comparable family releases have achieved in the past, pushing the film’s domestic total to over $37 million just ten days after its release. Its opening weekend of approximately $15.5 million marked the largest debut in Ketchup Entertainment’s history, surpassing the studio’s previous record set by ‘The Day the Earth Blew Up’.

Audience reception has been a crucial factor in this momentum. The Dave Green-directed hybrid received an A CinemaScore from opening weekend audiences and boasts a 95% fresh rating on Rotten Tomatoes, strong indicators that should help the film maintain steady word-of-mouth business going forward.

David A. Gross, publisher of the box office newsletter FranchiseRe, pointed out that while the box office numbers are modest, the reception has been outstanding. He believes the release will set up solid ancillary business for children’s viewing, which should assist the film in recouping its investment.

The film’s production costs have been reported between $70 million and $72 million, meaning Ketchup Entertainment still has a significant way to go before turning a profit, given estimated break-even costs around $120 million once theater splits are considered, according to Yahoo Entertainment. However, with reported foreign presales, the studio seems optimistic about recovering its investment theatrically.

Ketchup Entertainment CEO Gareth West expressed enthusiasm when the acquisition was finalized, stating that the deal with Warner Bros. Pictures allowed the studio to bring the film to audiences worldwide. He described ‘Coyote vs. Acme’ as “a perfect blend of nostalgia and modern storytelling” that captures the essence of classic Looney Tunes characters while introducing them to a new generation, according to a statement shared via Sandler’s Handlings.

‘Coyote vs. Acme’ features Will Forte as an attorney representing Wile E. Coyote in a lawsuit against the Acme Corporation, alongside John Cena, Lana Condor, Tone Bell, and Eric Bauza voicing the iconic coyote himself, with cameos from beloved Looney Tunes characters throughout.

The film’s box office journey has become as much a narrative of redemption for its distributor as it has for the film itself, considering how close the project came to never making it to theaters. For a movie that fans practically willed into existence, witnessing it hold strong against heavyweight competition like ‘Spider-Man: Brand New Day’ and ‘The Odyssey’ feels like a genuinely satisfying reward.

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