Meep, meep. ‘Coyote vs. Acme’ opens with $15.5 million, ‘Spider-Man’ stays No. 1 for fifth weekend

Meep, meep. ‘Coyote vs. Acme’ opens with $15.5 million, ‘Spider-Man’ stays No. 1 for fifth weekend 1 of 3 | This image released by Ketchup Entertainment shows the character Wile E. Coyote, voiced by Eric Bauza, in a scene from “Coyote vs Acme.” (Ketchup Entertainment via AP) 2 of 3 | Dave Green, second from left, director of the film “Coyote vs. Acme,” poses with cast members, from left, John Cena, Will Forte and Lana Condor at the premiere of the film on Wednesday, Aug. 26, 2026, at the Fox Westwood Village Theatre in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Chris Pizzello) 3 of 3 | Florence Pugh, from left, Tom Holland, Zendaya and Marisa Tomei pose for photographers upon arrival at the ‘Spider-Man: Brand New Day’ premiere in London, England, Wednesday, July 29, 2026. (Photo by Alberto Pezzali/Invision/AP) 1 of 3 | This image released by Ketchup Entertainment shows the character Wile E. Coyote, voiced by Eric Bauza, in a scene from “Coyote vs Acme.” (Ketchup Entertainment via AP) 1 of 3 This image released by Ketchup Entertainment shows the character Wile E. Coyote, voiced by Eric Bauza, in a scene from “Coyote vs Acme.” (Ketchup Entertainment via AP) Add AP News on Google Add AP News as your preferred source to see more of our stories on Google. Share 2 of 3 | Dave Green, second from left, director of the film “Coyote vs. Acme,” poses with cast members, from left, John Cena, Will Forte and Lana Condor at the premiere of the film on Wednesday, Aug. 26, 2026, at the Fox Westwood Village Theatre in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Chris Pizzello) 2 of 3 Dave Green, second from left, director of the film “Coyote vs. Acme,” poses with cast members, from left, John Cena, Will Forte and Lana Condor at the premiere of the film on Wednesday, Aug. 26, 2026, at the Fox Westwood Village Theatre in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Chris Pizzello) Add AP News on Google Add AP News as your preferred source to see more of our stories on Google. Share 3 of 3 | Florence Pugh, from left, Tom Holland, Zendaya and Marisa Tomei pose for photographers upon arrival at the ‘Spider-Man: Brand New Day’ premiere in London, England, Wednesday, July 29, 2026. (Photo by Alberto Pezzali/Invision/AP) 3 of 3 Florence Pugh, from left, Tom Holland, Zendaya and Marisa Tomei pose for photographers upon arrival at the ‘Spider-Man: Brand New Day’ premiere in London, England, Wednesday, July 29, 2026. (Photo by Alberto Pezzali/Invision/AP) Add AP News on Google Add AP News as your preferred source to see more of our stories on Google. Share Updated [hour]:[minute] [AMPM] [timezone], [monthFull] [day], [year] NEW YORK (AP) — Three years after Warner Bros. abruptly canned “Coyote vs. Acme,” the Looney Tunes feature film that was given a new lease on life by Ketchup Entertainment debuted with an estimated $15.5 million in ticket sales over the weekend. For the fifth weekend in a row, “Spider-Man: Brand New Day” topped the North American box office. It grossed $22.2 million in U.S. and Canadian theaters, according to studio estimates Sunday, bringing its worldwide total to $2.33 billion and making it the fourth highest-grossing film of all time. “Coyote vs. Acme,” which had been relegated to the dust heap, fared best of the newcomers, debuting in second place. The Ridley Scott action drama “The Dog Stars,” starring Jacob Elordi, flopped. The film, about a pilot and German Shepherd who survive a global pandemic, opened in fifth place with $8 million for 20th Century Studios. It added $11.3 million overseas, a poor result for a film that cost between $70 million and $100 million to make. “Coyote vs. Acme,” however, scored a decent, hard-earned opening. In 2023, Warner Bros. canceled any release of the completed film, preferring to take a tax write off on a movie originally produced for its streaming service, HBO Max. Warner also shelved “Batgirl” and “Scoob! Holiday Haunt,” both of which remain unreleased. “Coyote vs. Acme,” based on an Ian Frazier “Shouts and Murmurs” New Yorker column, is about Wile E. Coyote suing the Acme Corporation for its faulty products. It stars Will Forte, John Cena, Lana Condor and Eric Bauza. 6 MIN READ 3 MIN READ ★★★★ 3 MIN READ ★★★★ The film, a hybrid of live-action and animation directed by Dave Green, cost $70 million to make. But despite good test screening scores, Warner Bros. opted to ax the completed film. After an outcry, the studio put the film up for sale. Early last year, Ketchup Entertainment acquired worldwide distribution rights for about $50 million. For the makers of the film, just getting released was a victory. “‘Coyote vs. Acme’ is finally, gloriously, in theaters now,” Green said on social media Friday. “Which means one thing. WE WON.” Reviews and audience scores were also good. Moviegoers gave it an “A” CinemaScore. Critics were just as enthusiastic. On Rotten Tomatoes, it rated 95% fresh. While the result might have counted as a disappointment for some $70 million movies, the opening weekend for “Coyote vs. Acme” was the best ever for Ketchup. The indie distributor’s previous high was 2024’s “The Day the Earth Blew Up” (a $3.1 million opening), another Warner-made Looney Tunes castoff. “The box office numbers are fair, but the reception is excellent and the release should set up good ancillary business for kids’ viewing, where the film should recoup its investment,” said David A. Gross, who publishes the box office newsletter FranchiseRe. “The Odyssey,” in its seventh weekend, slid to third place with $14.3 million. It remains unusually strong overseas, where the Christopher Nolan movie grossed $48.6 million over the weekend. Altogether, the Universal Pictures release has collected $1.55 billion in global sales. Top 10 movies by domestic box officeWith final domestic figures being released Monday, this list factors in the estimated ticket sales for Friday through Sunday at U.S. and Canadian theaters, according to Rentrak:1. “Spider-Man: Brand New Day,” $22.2 million. 2. “Coyote vs. Acme,” $15.5 million. 3. “The Odyssey,” $14.3 million. 4. “Insidious: Out of the Further,” $10.1 million. 5. “The Dog Stars,” $8 million. 6. “Buddy,” $5.4 million. 7. “The End of Oak Street,” $5 million. 8. “PAW Patrol: The Dino Movie,” $4.9 million. 9. “Mutiny,” $2.8 million. 10. “Tony,” $2.2 million. Coyle has been a film critic and covered the movie industry for The Associated Press since 2013. He is based in New York City.