Coyote vs. Acme has finally reached theaters after one of the most unusual release journeys in recent Hollywood history, and the Looney Tunes movie has made a solid start at the box office. The hybrid live-action and animated comedy earned approximately $15.4 million domestically during its opening weekend, placing it second behind Spider-Man: Brand New Day. The result marks the biggest theatrical opening in the history of independent distributor Ketchup Entertainment.
The performance is particularly notable because Coyote vs. Acme was once expected to disappear entirely. Warner Bros. shelved the completed film in 2023 as part of a tax write-off, triggering significant backlash from fans and filmmakers. Ketchup Entertainment eventually acquired the movie and brought it to theaters, giving the project a second chance on the big screen.
Meanwhile, Spider-Man: Brand New Day continues its extraordinary theatrical run. The Tom Holland-led superhero movie earned another $22.2 million domestically, remaining at No. 1 for a fifth consecutive weekend and pushing its worldwide total to approximately $2.33 billion.
Coyote vs. Acme Becomes Ketchup Entertainment’s Biggest Opening
Directed by Dave Green, Coyote vs. Acme opened across 3,575 North American theaters. The film stars Will Forte, Lana Condor and John Cena and follows Wile E. Coyote as he takes Acme Corporation to court after its notoriously unreliable products repeatedly cause him trouble.
The movie’s opening weekend was accompanied by strong audience reactions. Coyote vs. Acme received an A CinemaScore, while its critical reception has also been considerably more positive than its troubled production history might suggest. The film currently holds a Rotten Tomatoes critics score in the mid-90% range.
The film’s theatrical performance also gives Ketchup Entertainment its strongest domestic opening to date. Its release represents a remarkable turnaround for a production that spent years without a clear path to audiences.
Spider-Man Nears Avatar: The Way of Water
While Coyote vs. Acme claimed second place, Spider-Man: Brand New Day remained the weekend’s biggest theatrical attraction. Its latest domestic haul brought its North American total to approximately $891.5 million, keeping it among the most successful domestic releases ever.
Its worldwide performance is even more significant. With roughly $2.33 billion globally, Brand New Day has moved ahead of Ne Zha 2 and Titanic on the all-time worldwide chart, reaching fourth place. It is now extremely close to Avatar: The Way of Water, which sits just ahead with approximately $2.334 billion.
The Dog Stars Struggles Against the Competition
Ridley Scott’s The Dog Stars had a considerably quieter debut. The post-apocalyptic sci-fi thriller starring Jacob Elordi, Margaret Qualley, Josh Brolin and Guy Pearce opened in fifth place with $8 million domestically from 3,330 theaters.
The film, adapted from Peter Heller’s 2012 novel, has earned approximately $19.3 million worldwide so far, including $11.3 million internationally. Its domestic opening places it well behind both Coyote vs. Acme and the weekend’s other major releases.
Christopher Nolan’s The Odyssey remained in third place with $14.3 million domestically, while Insidious: Out of the Further took fourth with $10.1 million.
As the summer movie season approaches its conclusion, Coyote vs. Acme has at least delivered a theatrical outcome for a film that once appeared destined never to be seen. Its opening may not challenge the biggest blockbusters of 2026, but securing the No. 2 position gives the rescued Looney Tunes movie a meaningful start at the box office.
