Coyote vs. Acme escapes the archive after all
The Looney Tunes film was initially shelved by Warner Bros., but secured a cinema release through an independent distributor.
Coyote vs. Acme has finally been released in cinemas after Warner Bros. previously shelved the completed film. Its remarkable rescue shows how much power studios have over films that have already been made.
The film centres on Wile E. Coyote, who starts legal proceedings against the company after years of failed ACME products. The combination of live action and animation was directed by Dave Green and stars Will Forte, John Cena and Lana Condor.
Warner Bros. decided not to release the film in 2023. According to reporting by Associated Press, the project was subsequently written off for tax purposes. As a result, a production on which cast and crew had worked for years appeared unlikely to become available to the public.
The decision prompted a campaign by filmmakers, voice actors and fans under the hashtag ReleaseCoyoteVsACME. The rights eventually went to Ketchup Entertainment. The independent distributor released the film in US cinemas on 28 August 2026.
According to Associated Press, the film opened with an estimated $15.5 million in North America and finished second that weekend. That figure says mainly something about its first cinema weekend, not about its eventual profit or international takings.
The case has therefore also become an industry story. Studios can cancel a film for financial or strategic reasons, while creators and audiences have little say over its availability. An independent distributor can still launch a project, but must shoulder the marketing, international sales and the risk of a limited release itself.
Coyote vs. Acme is not a precedent that will bring every shelved film back to the screen. It does show, however, how changing corporate strategies, tax decisions, fan mobilisation and independent distribution increasingly combine to determine which productions reach their audiences.
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The film details and box-office figures come from the distributor and Associated Press. The text avoids a review and makes no claim about the eventual financial outcome.
- confirmed Warner Bros. shelved the film before it was released. — Associated Press describes the cancellation and the subsequent distribution. source
- confirmed Ketchup Entertainment released the film on 28 August 2026. — Official film website and distributor. source
- confirmed The film made an estimated $15.5 million in North America during its opening weekend. — Box-office report by Associated Press. source
Editor's note
The cancellation, the acquisition by Ketchup Entertainment and the US release have been independently confirmed. The film’s eventual profitability and Dutch distribution have not been established.Sources
- Coyote vs. Acme was canned by Warner Bros. But that's not all folks — Associated Press
- Coyote vs. Acme — Ketchup Entertainment
- Meep, meep. Coyote vs. Acme opens with $15.5 million — Associated Press
- How Coyote vs Acme returned from the dead to hit big screens — ABC News
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