The long-shelved Looney Tunes movie debuts with $15.5 million, while Spider-Man extends its dominance for a fifth consecutive weekend.
After nearly becoming one of Hollywood’s most infamous unreleased films, Coyote vs. Acme has finally made it to theaters — and audiences showed up.
The live-action and animation hybrid opened with an estimated $15.5 million at the North American box office, securing second place during its debut weekend and marking an encouraging start for a movie whose road to release was anything but ordinary.
At the top of the chart, however, there was no change.
Spider-Man: Brand New Day remained the No. 1 movie in North America for an impressive fifth consecutive weekend, earning another $22.2 million from theaters across the United States and Canada.
The superhero blockbuster has now generated approximately $2.33 billion worldwide, placing it among the most commercially successful movies in cinema history and making it the fourth highest-grossing film of all time.
From the Shelf to the Big Screen
Few recent Hollywood productions have had a journey as dramatic as Coyote vs. Acme.
Warner Bros. originally completed the film before announcing in 2023 that it would not release the project, choosing instead to take a tax write-off. The decision immediately sparked backlash from filmmakers, fans and members of the entertainment industry.
The studio had previously made similar decisions involving projects including Batgirl and Scoob! Holiday Haunt, both of which remain unreleased.
But Coyote vs. Acme ultimately escaped that fate.
Following the public reaction, Warner Bros. allowed the movie to be offered to potential buyers, and Ketchup Entertainment eventually acquired worldwide distribution rights for approximately $50 million, giving the film another opportunity to reach audiences.
Directed by Dave Green, the movie reportedly cost around $70 million to produce.
Inspired by Ian Frazier’s New Yorker piece, the story puts a clever legal spin on one of animation’s most recognizable rivalries. After years of defective gadgets and catastrophic inventions, Wile E. Coyote takes the Acme Corporation to court over its notoriously unreliable products.
The cast includes Will Forte, John Cena, Lana Condor and Eric Bauza.
For the filmmakers and performers involved, the theatrical debut represents more than simply another opening weekend. After years of uncertainty, the fact that audiences can finally see the completed movie has become a victory of its own.
A Tough Opening for Ridley Scott’s ‘The Dog Stars’
The weekend was less successful for Ridley Scott’s latest action drama, The Dog Stars.
Starring Jacob Elordi, the film debuted in fifth place with approximately $8 million domestically for 20th Century Studios. It earned an additional $11.3 million internationally.
The result represents a disappointing start for a production reportedly carrying a budget between $70 million and $100 million.
Based around a pilot and his German Shepherd surviving in the aftermath of a global pandemic, the film entered theaters with considerably higher financial expectations.
Meanwhile, Coyote vs. Acme emerged as the strongest new release of the weekend — an especially notable accomplishment considering that, just a few years ago, moviegoers were never expected to see it at all.
Hollywood loves a comeback story, and this weekend Wile E. Coyote finally got one.
