Coyote vs. Acme, the completed live-action/animation hybrid, carried a $70 million production budget, Animation Magazine reported. By Sept. 28 it had earned $59 million domestic and $110 million worldwide, per Wikipedia's film page.
Ketchup Entertainment released it in the U.S. on Aug. 28, 2026 after rescuing it from Warner Bros., the New York Post reported. That rescue makes the budget, the write-off price, and the break-even math the key context for the grosses.
Table of Contents
- What did it cost and why was it shelved?
- How did it start in theaters?
- How did it reach $110 million?
- Did beating the write-off mean profit?
What did it cost and why was it shelved?
The film wrapped filming in 2022 as an HBO Max original, Animation Magazine reported. The budget is listed as $70 million, often given as $70-$72 million.
Warner Bros. Discovery shelved the finished film in November 2023 for a reported $30 million tax write-down, The Hollywood Reporter via Cartoon Brew reported. It later reversed course and sold global rights to Ketchup Entertainment for a reported $50 million.
How did it start in theaters?
ComingSoon.net reported a $15.9 million domestic opening and a No. 2 finish in ComingSoon.net's opening-weekend report. Worldwide stood at about $15.5-$15.9 million at that point, essentially matching domestic.
Domestic means the U.S. and Canada, while worldwide adds other territories. Matching totals at opening point to little early overseas reporting, not to zero overseas interest.
How did it reach $110 million?
After Labor Day weekend it stood at $39.9 million domestic and $50.89 million worldwide, Animation Magazine reported. That passed Warner Bros.' $30 million write-off value within two weeks. Cartoon Brew, summarized by Clownfish TV, tracked the climb to $100 million, while Wikipedia compiled the Sept.
28 split. The checkpoints below show legs, not a front-loaded opening: Overseas reporting filled in late, so the gap between worldwide and domestic widened over time. Readers comparing daily trackers should expect small differences for that reason.
- $47.8 million domestic and $82.8 million worldwide after three weekends
- $54.8 million domestic and $100 million worldwide on Sept. 22 after a $10.6 million fourth weekend
- $59 million in the U.S. and Canada plus $51 million elsewhere for $110 million worldwide by Sept. 28
Did beating the write-off mean profit?
Koimoi's trade analysis says a $70 million film needs about $175 million under the 2.5x rule, explained in Koimoi's break-even analysis. The 2.5x rule is shorthand for production plus marketing and theater share.
Beating the $30 million write-off therefore does not mean profit for Ketchup. Public databases still disagree on the total because international coverage is incomplete, Koimoi noted. For now, use $110 million as the reported total and $175 million as the profit yardstick.