Coyote vs. Acme Shatters Box Office After Warner Bros. Tax Write‑Off

Coyote vs. Acme Breaks Box Office Silence

Warner Bros.’ decision three years ago to pull the completed Looney Tunes feature “Coyote vs. Acme” from its slate was a tax‑write‑off gambit that backfired when fan pressure forced a theatrical release. The film debuted this weekend with an estimated ↑ $15.5 million in North American ticket sales, landing second behind the fifth‑week run of “Spider‑Man: Brand New Day”. Box office analysts note the performance is the strongest ever for indie distributor Ketchup Entertainment, whose previous high was a $3.1 million opening for “The Day the Earth Blew Up”.

Critical Reception

Audiences awarded an “A” CinemaScore and Rotten Tomatoes lists a 95% fresh rating. Director Dave Green celebrated on social media, writing,

“‘Coyote vs. Acme’ is finally, gloriously, in theaters now… WE WON.”

The movie, a $70 million live‑action/animation hybrid starring Will Forte, John Cena, Lana Condor and Eric Bauza, was originally slated for HBO Max before being shelved alongside “Batgirl” and “Scoob! Holiday Haunt”. Reuters reported Warner Bros. opted for a tax write‑off rather than a theatrical rollout. Meanwhile, Ridley Scott’s “The Dog Stars” opened to a ↓ $8 million debut, far below its $70‑$100 million budget, highlighting the risk of pandemic‑themed dramas. The weekend’s top ten also featured “The Odyssey” at third with $14.3 million, and “Insidious: Out of the Further” at fourth with $10.1 million. Industry observers expect ancillary revenue from kids’ streaming and merchandise to help “Coyote vs. Acme” recoup its costs.