Ketchup Entertainment's 'Coyote vs. Acme' Crosses $100M Global Milestone
The animated/live-action hybrid 'Coyote vs. Acme' has surpassed $100 million in global box office receipts, validating the decision by Ketchup Entertainment to acquire the rights after Warner Bros. abandoned the project. The film, which features Wile E. Coyote suing Acme products, is set to launch on digital platforms on September 28.
Key points
- Global box office revenue has reached $100 million, with $54.7 million earned globally and $44.3 million domestically as of Sunday, according to Rentrak.
- Ketchup Entertainment purchased the rights to the film for $50 million after Warner Bros. deemed it unreleasable and wrote it off as a tax loss.
- The film, which cost $70 million to produce, is scheduled to debut on digital platforms on September 28 at 9 p.m. PT.
- Warner Bros. has faced commercial struggles in 2026, with recent releases like 'The Bride!' and 'Supergirl' underperforming their budgets.
- IndieWire notes that A24 outgrossed Warner Bros. in the domestic market this summer, a gap that 'Coyote vs. Acme' may help narrow.
Background
Our archive from late August and early September 2026 shows 'Coyote vs. Acme' debuting as a wildcard, opening to approximately $15 million domestically and securing the No. 2 spot behind 'Spider-Man: Brand New Day.' By early September, the film had accumulated roughly $37.8 million domestically, maintaining strong momentum as the summer box office concluded.
How outlets are covering it
IndieWire frames the $100 million milestone as a vindication for Ketchup Entertainment and a potential profit for the film, contrasting it with Warner Bros.' recent commercial struggles. The outlet highlights that A24 outperformed Warner Bros. in domestic market share this summer. Cartoon Brew, in its secondary coverage, focuses on the broader weekend box office context, including re-releases of 'Transformers' and 'Shaun the Sheep,' but does not provide specific financial analysis of 'Coyote vs. Acme' beyond its inclusion in the weekend totals.
Why it matters
The success of 'Coyote vs. Acme' demonstrates the viability of reviving shelved studio projects through independent distributors and highlights the shifting dynamics in the 2026 box office, where indie studios are outperforming major studios in domestic market share.
What to watch
The film will launch on digital platforms on September 28 at 9 p.m. PT, with its performance in this window likely to determine its final profitability.
- ‘Coyote vs. Acme,’ Abandoned as a Tax Write-Off by Warner Bros., Grosses $100 Million Globally IndieWire
- 'Transformers' Re-Release, 'Coyote,' 'Shaun' Box Office Weekend Cartoon Brew
- 'Coyote vs. Acme,' 'The Transformers' & 'Shaun the Sheep' Bring an Eclectic Toon Mix to the Box Office Animation Magazine
- ‘Coyote vs. Acme’ Officially Passes Its Biggest Box Office Milestone Yet imdb.com
- Coyote vs. Acme Sets Digital Release Date Amid Domestic Box Office Success Yahoo
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