Wile E. Coyote in a promotional scene for Coyote vs. Acme
TV & Film

Saved From the Vault! 'Coyote vs. Acme' Hits Theaters at Last — Here Is What It Could Make

After Warner Bros. almost scrapped the Looney Tunes flick for a tax trick, indie studio Ketchup Entertainment is bringing it to the big screen.

By Nina BrooksPublished Updated 2 min read

The road to the multiplex is rarely this chaotic. *Coyote vs. Acme* has officially landed in movie theaters, capping off one of the most intense behind-the-scenes distribution sagas in recent Hollywood memory. What was once destined to spend eternity locked away in a corporate vault is finally getting its shot on the big screen. The hybrid live-action and animated feature was nearly wiped off the map when Warner Bros. attempted to permanently bury the finished project in order to claim a tax write-off. That choice ignited immediate fury across the entertainment industry. Devastated creatives, passionate film enthusiasts, and outraged commentators launched a relentless campaign demanding the studio reconsider. Facing months of unrelenting heat, Warner Bros. ultimately backed down and sold the movie to indie company Ketchup Entertainment.

Why was Coyote vs. Acme almost canceled?

For the cast and crew who poured years of labor into the Looney Tunes project, seeing the flick premiere in cinemas is an undeniable triumph. The corporate strategy of scrapping completed movies purely for financial tax breaks has drawn intense criticism from creators. Simply knowing that audiences can buy a ticket and watch their finished work represents a huge victory over studio accounting tactics. Still, transitioning from a legacy studio to an independent distributor brings a unique set of challenges. Without a massive corporate marketing budget driving global awareness, industry observers are eager to see if grassroots excitement can translate into actual box office receipts.

Wile E. Coyote in a promotional scene for Coyote vs. Acme
Wile E. Coyote in a promotional scene for Coyote vs. Acme

How much will Coyote vs. Acme make opening weekend?

Box office projections indicate that *Coyote vs. Acme* is currently tracking for an opening weekend haul between $14 million and $16 million. Reaching the top tier of those estimates would mark a massive milestone for Ketchup Entertainment. To put those figures in perspective, the distributor previously brought the animated feature *The Day the Earth Blew Up* to theaters in spring 2025, topping out at $8.8 million across more than 2,800 screens. Though Ketchup has not yet disclosed the precise screen count for *Coyote vs. Acme*, the immense curiosity surrounding its dramatic rescue from the shelf could power a surprisingly strong theatrical turnout.

More like this

Get the pop news brief

One daily email. The biggest celebrity, music and TV stories, no filler.

Reader reaction

Loading comments…

People also ask

Why was Coyote vs. Acme almost canceled?
Warner Bros. initially planned to permanently shelve the finished movie to take a corporate tax write-off, but public and industry backlash persuaded the studio to sell it instead.
Who is distributing Coyote vs. Acme in theaters?
Independent distributor Ketchup Entertainment acquired the distribution rights from Warner Bros. to release the film in theaters.
How much is Coyote vs. Acme expected to make opening weekend?
Industry tracking estimates the hybrid animated film will earn between $14 million and $16 million during its premiere weekend.