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Coyote vs. Acme has crossed $100 million at the global box office after a release run few expected, having been filmed in 2022 and shelved by Warner Bros. in 2023 before Ketchup Entertainment acquired and re-released it. As first reported by TheWrap, Ketchup framed the movie’s unusual fate as an advantage, then enlisted publicity firm 42West and Ryan Reynolds’ Maximum Effort to build a fan-first push that began with a Comic-Con reveal and kept momentum through interviews, a Westwood premiere and social campaigns. That combination of provenance and targeted marketing is the core reason the title outperformed early expectations.
we wanted to honor that passion and give fans something to rally behind,
Gareth West, CEO of Ketchup Entertainment
Key takeaways
- Coyote vs. Acme crossed $100 million at the global box office.
- Ketchup Entertainment acquired the shelved 2022 film after Warner Bros. announced it would not release the title in 2023.
- Publicity shop 42West and Maximum Effort built a Comic-Con-led, fan-first campaign that leaned on the film’s rescue narrative and the framing of ACME as the bad guy.
- The film’s digital release begins on Sept. 29, with physical media and streaming debuts planned in the months that follow.
Table of contents
How a shelved film became a marketing asset
The movie’s back story is now part of its selling point: shot in 2022, Coyote vs. Acme was pulled from release by Warner Bros. in 2023 for tax and slate reasons. Ketchup Entertainment bought the project and deliberately made its previous shelving an element of the campaign. Rather than bury the history, Ketchup reframed it as an underdog arc that fans could rally behind, turning the title’s unusual provenance into a hook for press and social engagement.
That approach changed the communications brief. Instead of treating the film like a standard studio tentpole, the teams prioritized earned channels and fan-facing moments that underscored community ownership of the comeback. The strategy mixed nostalgia for the original New Yorker story with a modern, challenger-brand tone to persuade fans they were part of the movie’s revival rather than passive consumers.
This section’s keyPhrase is ACME as the bad guy and it shows why narrative reframing matters: by positioning ACME as the antagonist, the campaign gave audiences a simple emotional posture to adopt — root for the Coyote — and made the film’s commercial performance itself feel like a victory for fans.
Fan-first rollout: Comic-Con to Westwood premiere
The public relaunch began in earnest at Comic-Con, where Ketchup announced the release date and the tone for the campaign. Maximum Effort joined after the Comic-Con panel and helped scale the idea across trailers, television, digital and social, while 42West handled ongoing publicity and talent interviews. That combination put the film in front of built-in fan communities before a general-audience push began.
Ketchup and its partners layered in live, high-engagement events. The movie premiered at the Directors Village theater in Westwood; the Coyote character walked the red carpet and then joined the UCLA marching band as they filed into the venue — a spectacle that turned the premiere into a shareable moment and supplied earned-media visuals. 42West described the effort as an "intensive fan-first publicity strategy" designed to sustain conversation from the Comic-Con reveal through release.
The section’s keyPhrase is Comic-Con panel and it captures the tactical logic: an early, targeted reveal seeded enthusiasm among core fans and gave the later national campaign clear creative ground to occupy.
What $100 million buys this title now
Reaching $100 million worldwide puts Coyote vs. Acme in a different commercial tier than a straight cult release. Ketchup's analysis compares that haul to Ridley Scott’s The Dog Stars ($38 million) and observes that the film could outgross Amazon MGM’s Masters of the Universe ($114 million). For a film Warner Bros. once deemed unfit for release, that top-line gives Ketchup leverage over ancillary windows and future licensing conversations.
The win also opens strategic options the team signalled it would pursue: the film begins the next distribution phase with a digital release beginning on Sept. 29 and plans for physical and streaming windows to follow. Separately, the distributor has signalled there is potential to campaign the film in the Best Animated Feature category, since the movie contains enough animated elements to meet qualification requirements.
The section’s keyPhrase is $100 million worldwide and it underlines the point: the milestone alters downstream value — from home-video deals to awards positioning — even if mainstream studio metrics would still label the title modest compared with major blockbusters.
| Title | Reported worldwide gross |
|---|---|
| Coyote vs. Acme | $100 million |
| The Dog Stars | $38 million |
| Masters of the Universe | $114 million |
Near-term upside and headwinds
The case for
- The rescue narrative and fan mobilisation that powered theatrical demand can translate into strong digital, physical-media and merchandising revenue in the months after release.
- Awards eligibility for Best Animated Feature would raise the film’s profile and extend its visibility into awards-season windows if a campaign is mounted.
The case against
- The title’s momentum rests heavily on a core fanbase; mainstream growth beyond that group could be limited without broader advertising spend.
- Comparisons to larger studio releases show the film remains modest by blockbuster standards, so downstream licensing fees may be constrained by category and audience size.
What to be careful about
- Overdependence on the fan-driven ‘underdog’ story could limit appeal to viewers unfamiliar with the property.
- If the film fails to expand beyond initial supporters, ancillary revenue (wide streaming licensing or premium pay windows) may be lower than the theatrical headline implies.
- Awards campaigning would require additional spend and a qualifying strategy despite the title’s animated elements; success is not guaranteed.
The bottom line
Coyote vs. Acme’s $100 million milestone is a case study in converting an unusual release history into a marketing advantage. Ketchup Entertainment, supported by 42West and Maximum Effort, treated the film’s shelving as a narrative asset, built momentum with targeted events and publicity, and translated fan energy into box-office receipts. The next revenue tests are the digital window beginning on Sept. 29 and the subsequent physical and streaming rollouts; how those perform will determine whether this success is a standalone underdog win or the start of a longer commercial run.
What to watch
- Watch for the film’s digital release beginning on Sept. 29; that window starts the film’s next commercial phase.
- Watch for the film’s physical-media release and streaming debuts in the months after the digital window; no exact dates have been announced.
Frequently asked questions
How did Ketchup Entertainment relaunch a movie Warner Bros. shelved?
Ketchup Entertainment acquired the 2022-shot title after Warner Bros. shelved it in 2023 and reframed the film’s back story as part of the marketing. The company worked with PR firm 42West and Maximum Effort to mount a Comic-Con-led, fan-first campaign that emphasised the rescue narrative.
How much has Coyote vs. Acme made so far?
The film crossed $100 million at the global box office, a milestone the distributors are using to accelerate digital and home-media windows.
Is the film eligible for Best Animated Feature?
The distributor says the title contains enough animated content to qualify for the Best Animated Feature category, and an awards campaign is a possibility if they choose to pursue it.
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