Action-Comedy With Surprise Box Office Staying Power Removed From Over 1,000 Theaters

Published Oct 7, 2026, 2:38 PM EDT Ryan Northrup is a Senior Staff Writer on ScreenRant's Movie & TV News team, where he has authored nearly 5,000 articles, including features and reviews. A graduate of McMaster University, Ryan began his career in public relations before attending Vancouver Film School. There, he built lasting industry connections and optioned a feature film screenplay. Coyote Vs. Acme just suffered a blow. Directed by Dave Green, the film faced a tough road to the screen. After Warner Bros. shelved Coyote vs. Acme in 2023 as a tax write-off, resulting in major backlash, Ketchup Entertainment swooped in and acquired the worldwide distribution rights. The action comedy, which stars Will Forte, Lana Condor, and John Cena, finally hit theaters on August 28. Now, more than a month after its theatrical bow, Coyote vs. Acme has been removed from over 1,000 theaters. Per IMDb, the film had its wide release on 3,575 screens before increasing to 3,727 the next week. By September 25, it was playing on only 1,905. This recent removal from theaters isn't necessarily unusual. These days, it's common for movies to only get a month of strong theatrical play before landing on digital platforms, and that's exactly the pattern that Coyote vs. Acme followed. On September 29, just days after losing over 1,000 screens, the film released on VOD. Though its VOD release has understandably resulted in a downturn at the box office, Coyote vs. Acme has displayed some impressive staying power. To date, the film has grossed over $97 million worldwide. On its second weekend, the film dropped only 24.8% from its debut weekend, and weekend three was also strong at a decrease of 46.5%. Percentage drops for the subsequent weekends came in at 31.1%, 56.6%, and 62%. The movie's impressive staying power accompanies a strong critical and audience reception. On Rotten Tomatoes, Coyote vs. Acme enjoys a score of 96%, with the Popcornmeter almost matching at 94%. The story of Wile E. Coyote teaming up with Forte's personal injury lawyer Kevin Avery to sue ACME resonated, with praise aimed at the film's balance of humor and heart, and its introduction of Looney Tunes to younger audiences. ScreenRant's own Coyote vs. Acme review by Alex Harrison was more lukewarm at a score of six out of 10. Though Harrison celebrates the film's release and takes issue with WB's decision to shelve it three years ago, he admits that the final product is fun but flawed. Harrison writes: It is, ultimately, good – certainly undeserving of being deleted forever for the sake of a studio's bottom line. But it is shaky. For all the comedic moments that land, there are a few scenes that feel awkward or clumsy. What works emotionally is mostly the result of its savvy handling of its legacy characters, rather than anything accomplished by the narrative itself. Though it integrates live-action and animation well, both of those elements separately have moments where they disappoint. Coyote vs. Acme was made on a budget of around $70 million. Ketchup Entertainment then spent $50 million to buy the distribution rights from Warner Bros., not including any additional marketing spend beyond that. The film has almost crossed $100 million worldwide, but its status as a success is questionable. After theaters' cuts are taken into account, Ketchup Entertainment may not end up breaking even from the film's theatrical performance. Still, the film has been a win for the company purely in terms of PR. It has put Ketchup on the map in a bigger way, and the company now has a positive reputation after essentially rescuing Coyote vs. Acme from the dustbin. Plus, there's still money to be made from the movie's VOD performance, though those figures are rarely made public. While Coyote vs. Acme has lost numerous screens and is winding down in theaters, the film seemingly continues to play well with audiences. It remains to be seen how the next few months will unfold for the title, but it seems destined to be a hit on VOD and an eventual powerhouse on streaming. Release Date August 28, 2026 Runtime 101 Minutes Director Dave Green