Importance Score: 35 / 100 🔵
“Coyote vs. Acme” Rescued: Looney Tunes Film Finds New Distributor After Warner Bros. Shelving
NEW YORK – The animated film “Coyote vs. Acme,” initially abandoned by Warner Bros. in 2023, has been rescued and secured a new distributor. Ketchup Entertainment announced on Monday the acquisition of global distribution rights for the Looney Tunes movie for an unrevealed amount.
Ketchup Entertainment Acquires Global Rights
This agreement revitalizes one of three completed movies Warner Bros. opted to write off for tax purposes instead of releasing. This strategy, implemented following a leadership change at Warner Bros. after the pandemic, drew widespread criticism from industry professionals and audiences. The other two films affected by this decision, the $90 million DC Studios production “Batgirl” and the animated “Scoob! Holiday Haunt,” remain unreleased.
Theatrical Release Planned for “Coyote vs. Acme”
However, “Coyote vs. Acme” will be saved. Ketchup Entertainment is planning a theatrical release for the film, with the date to be announced.
Ketchup Entertainment CEO Statement
Gareth West, CEO of Ketchup Entertainment, expressed enthusiasm in a statement: “We’re delighted to have reached an agreement with Warner Bros. Pictures to bring this film to viewers globally. ‘Coyote vs Acme’ is an ideal combination of nostalgic elements and contemporary narrative, embodying the spirit of the cherished Looney Tunes characters while presenting them to a new audience.”
Film Premise and Cast of the Looney Tunes Feature
Directed by Dave Green, “Coyote vs. Acme” is inspired by a New Yorker article by Ian Frazier. The Looney Tunes film centers on Wile E. Coyote as he files a lawsuit against the Acme Corporation, citing the numerous defective products that failed in his pursuit of the Road Runner. This live-action and animation hybrid film stars John Cena and Will Forte.
Financial Details of the Distribution Deal
Earlier reports from Deadline indicated that Ketchup Entertainment paid approximately $50 million for the film, which had a production budget of $70 million. Ketchup Entertainment, a distribution company established in 2012, also recently released another Looney Tunes movie previously dropped by Warner Bros., “The Day the Earth Blew Up: A Looney Tunes Movie.” In its first three weeks, that film grossed $8.2 million in domestic box office earnings.