The past week brought a mix of comebacks, disappointments, and franchise hype across Hollywood. Coyote vs. Acme finally escaped Warner Bros.’ vault and made its theatrical debut after nearly being written off entirely. Ridley Scott’s latest film, The Dog Stars, struggled to find an audience despite the director’s legendary status, while Marvel gave fans another reason to look back before Avengers: Doomsday arrives.
Ketchup Entertainment Turns Warner Bros. Reject Into a Hit
Coyote vs. Acme, the animation hybrid that Warner Bros. Discovery (WBD) nearly deleted, opened in theatres this past Friday. It ended up closing its debut weekend with a $15.4 million draw on the domestic front, after pulling in $5.3 million on its opening day. That puts it ahead of Warner Bros.’ own Tom and Jerry (2021), which opened to $14.1 million.
It also outperformed The Day the Earth Blew Up, another Looney Tunes film that opened to $3 million after being rescued from the same fate last year.
Like The Day the Earth Blew Up, Coyote vs. Acme was created by Warner Animation Group. Independent film distributor Ketchup Entertainment saved it from deletion after Warner Bros. decided to write it off as tax deductions. When that decision was announced in 2023, it drew sharp criticism from audiences, cast, crew, and industry figures.
Warner Bros. made the film available for acquisition and found no buyers, but a months-long fan campaign under #SaveCoyoteVsAcme and other hashtags kept the pressure on until Ketchup Entertainment stepped in and set a theatrical release.
At the film’s premiere last week, the cast and crew spoke about what it took to get there. Lead actor Will Forte described the whole ordeal as “an emotional roller coaster,” and admitted he was convinced of Warner Bros’ determination to keep the film from being released. He said, “I was just like, ‘They’re not hearing you; it’s not going to make a difference.'”
Director Dave Green addressed the fans directly: “Every single person that spoke out and tweeted and wrote a message, and for our brave costumed Coyote who stood out in the rain, we’re grateful for every single individual who was there for us.”
The film follows Wile E. Coyote as he hires a down-on-his-luck lawyer to sue Acme Corporation for the lifetime of faulty products that have left him battered and empty-handed. It stars Will Forte, John Cena, and Lana Condor, with Eric Bauza, who voiced eleven animated characters.
Ridley Scott’s The Dog Stars Struggles at the Box Office
While Coyote vs. Acme enjoyed an unexpected theatrical victory, Ridley Scott’s latest film went in the opposite direction.
The Dog Stars opened to approximately $8 million domestically and $19 million worldwide against a reported budget of between $70 million and $110 million. The film had been expected to open domestically in the $10 million to $14 million range.
The response from critics and audiences has also been mixed. The Dog Stars currently sits at 40% from critics on Rotten Tomatoes, with a 70% audience score. CinemaScore gave the film a C+.
The disappointing opening adds another unexpected wrinkle to a summer that saw the return of two filmmakers who helped define the modern blockbuster. Steven Spielberg opened the season, while Scott’s latest arrived toward its close, but neither film generated the box office impact expected from directors of their stature.
Scott has also spent the film’s press tour responding to criticism from an old collaborator.
During a 2024 appearance on the DocFix Documentary Storytelling Podcast, longtime cinematographer John Mathieson criticized Scott’s multi-camera shooting technique, describing the approach as “lazy.” Mathieson, who has worked with Scott on several films, did not serve as cinematographer on The Dog Stars.
Scott later responded to the criticism, calling Mathieson’s assessment “the stupidest thing.” Despite the disappointing reception to The Dog Stars, retirement does not appear to be anywhere on Scott’s agenda.
After nearly five decades of directing without winning a competitive Academy Award, Scott is set to receive honorary recognition from the Academy. His response was characteristically blunt: “It is about f**ing time.”
The 88-year-old filmmaker also remains involved with several projects, including a new Alien installment that would continue the story of his prequel trilogy. The project is expected to focus on Michael Fassbender’s character and explore artificial intelligence within the franchise.
Scott has also confirmed that work continues on his live-action adaptation of Treasure Island, with casting and storyboarding underway.
Avengers: Endgame Encore Trailer Breaks Re-Release Records as Marvel Builds Doomsday Hype
Marvel released the official trailer for Avengers: Endgame Encore, the upcoming re-release of its 2019 blockbuster.
The Russo Brothers, who directed Endgame and Avengers: Doomsday, told Fandango on Thursday that the re-release is essential viewing. Joe Russo added that watching it will help audiences connect the events of 2019 to what is coming next.
However, fans did not need convincing. Within 24 hours, the trailer for the film’s re-release accumulated 77 million views. This is four times what any re-released film has generated within that window.
The previous record belonged to the Top Gun (1986) re-release trailer, which drew 19 million views in 24 hours. Avatar (2009), whose re-release made it the highest-grossing film of all time, had 14 million views from its trailer.
To build further momentum, Marvel launched the first episode of its official podcast, Countdown to Avengers: Doomsday, on Thursday. The show is available across podcast streaming platforms and is hosted by Imani Vellani, who played Ms. Marvel in the MCU, alongside Frank Alvarez.
Each week, the two will discuss a different Avengers film leading up to the re-release. The final episode, covering Avengers: Endgame, drops on September 24. Avengers: Endgame Encore opens in theatres the following day, September 25.
