Dog Eats Dog At Box Office As ‘Coyote Vs. Acme’ Prevails At No. 2 With $15M+, ‘Dog Stars’ Tanks; Spidey Swings Closer To $900M – Box Office Update

SUNDAY AM: Ketchup Entertainment’s theatrical rescue of Warner Bros Animation’s Coyote vs. Acme hit its forecast with a very solid $15.4M opening in what is now the No. 2 film at the weekend box office which was ruled again by Sony/Marvel Studios’ Spider-Man: Brand New Day‘s $22.2M fifth frame.

Even more amazing is that Coyote vs. Acme pulls off this notable opening off a $10M marketing cost, pegging above a major studio release with a major studio spend, 20th Century Studios’ Ridley Scott dystopian future Jacob Elordi-Josh Brolin movie, Dog Stars, which ate scraps with an $8M opening off a $70M production cost. More on that poor puppy, further down.

At the end of the day, pin Coyote vs. Acme‘s win to its fiery online supporters who sounded the alarm on social and showed up. It’s not exactly a Markiplier situation with Iron Lung ($17.8M opening), but it’s close. It’s just another example to all theatrical players that when there’s an ecstatic fanbase in the social ether, definitely embrace and stoke it.

As we told you, Coyote vs. Acme is the biggest opening ever for Ketchup Entertainment, well ahead of their previous Warner Bros Animation save, The Day the Earth Blew Up ($3.1M opening, $8.8M final domestic).

Spider-Man: Brand New Day with $891.5M by the end of today stateside is less than $10M away from becoming the second movie to cross $900M after 2015’s Star Wars: The Force Awakens.

Cynics, be quiet: you can say, ‘Well, duh’ that Coyote vs. Acme opened at this level because its brand recognition. You can even say that the movie would have done more with a proper big studio marketing cost, because when you’re a family film, you have to be everywhere or else you’re nowhere.

However, if it wasn’t for Ketchup stepping up, this $70M Warner Bros Looney Tunes production which the Burbank, CA lot wrote off for $30M, wouldn’t have a home. In shelling out $50M, Ketchup paid more than all other suitors, which included Paramount and Netflix, and saved the Dave Green directed, Chris DeFaria and James Gunn produced movie.

There was a moment in time back in mid 2025, when Ketchup was going to team up with Paramount, and have the Melrose Ave lot sub-distribute and market the film. Paramount (this was during the previous Brian Robbins administration) remained passionate about Coyote vs. Acme even though they lost out on Coyote. However, Warners stood in the way, sources tell me: Paramount wasn’t allowed to date Coyote vs. Acme on or within three weekends of another Warner Bros title. Hence, Paramount couldn’t find the right release date and ultimately the David Ellison regime came in and Coyote vs. Acme was in the rear view mirror as far as any sub-distribution pact with Ketchup.

Of those helping out with the marketing on the animated live-action hybrid was Ryan Reynolds’ Maximum Effort, and that was because they, too, loved the movie and wanted to see it win. Of Ketchup’s push for Coyote vs Acme, there were integrations around the World Cup semifinals and final, WWE’s SummerSlam weekend, the Little League World Series, EPL and MLB coverage, and America’s Got Talent’s quarter-final broadcasts. The film made two panel appearances at San Diego Comic-Con last year and this year. The first trailer that dropped on April 22 did 25M views in its first 24 hours, which I’m told is alright. There was a brand partner in Crayola. Ketchup went with this end of summer of date because it was after all the fireworks of Spider-Man and The Odyssey, and it was a prime time to play into the Labor Day holiday.

As we mentioned previously, that opening for Coyote vs. Acme is ahead of another Warner Bros live-action animation hybrid title, February 2021’s Tom & Jerry which opened to $14.1M before all cinemas in NY and LA were open coming out of Covid, and went on to to do $46.5M.

As far as Dog Stars goes, in a storied 61-year career, Scott amid his hits swings for the fences unabashedly, and this feature take of Scott Heller’s novel was one of ’em.

Unfortunately, you could see this one coming ala Darren Aronofsky’s Caught Stealing a Year (which died with a $7.8M opening, $19M final domestic). Who dates an auteur’s movie in the deepest dog days of August? And sans any kind of festival tee-off? Why did Disney go here? Because they wanted to play into Labor Day weekend and squeeze any Alpo that’s left out of Dog Stars.

Also, don’t blame this one on Elordi’s still early star wattage as he proved earlier this year with the right amount of dynamo including Margot Robbie and a sexy classy novel like Wuthering Heights ($32.8M), he can open a film. Also, it’s common for many to blame Disney, read the old whine ‘They can’t open and market these types of movies’. They’re in business with Scott here because he’s had a long lasting relationship with 20th and they’ve fully backed his audacious projects which went sideways at the B.O., i.e. 2013’s The Counselor ($7.8M) and The Last Duel ($4.7M). But the movie inherently is its own worst enemy and marketing can only do so much to get people in: It looks like HBO’s Last of Us, which the men watching this, or not watching this, have already seen, and once you get inside, the pic is no Mad Max or Furiosa in its pace, rather a slow burn. Given Scott’s brilliance in its canon, it’s hard for any studio to say No to him. The director is living proof that that old adage about directors ‘you’re as good as your last film’ just simply doesn’t exist. Next, Sir Scott.

With 181M followers on social media across TikTok, YouTube, X, Instagram and Facebook, Dog Stars was running -15% behind other action adventure movies per RelishMix. Brolin was the only star activated on social media with 3.8M. RelishMix says that the “negative chatter for Dog Stars questions whether the adaptation captures the novel’s quiet humanity or simply amplifies explosions and horseback raiders for blockbuster appeal. Many viewers argue the trailer reveals too much, while others dismiss the premise as another interchangeable apocalypse populated by impossibly attractive survivors. Ridley Scott’s recent filmography becomes a recurring debate, with skeptics wondering whether his legendary reputation still guarantees results. The overwhelming obsession with the dog’s survival repeatedly overshadows discussion of the actual story, showing that emotional risk is competing with curiosity. Comparisons to I Am Legend, Mad Max, The Road, and Terminator Salvation occasionally become unfavorable when audiences feel the film lacks its own identity. ‘Well, I feel like I’ve seen the entire movie now, so why go see it in the theater.’ ‘This looks awful. Either the trailer doesn’t do it justice or Ridley Scott needs to retire.’ ‘It seems like a mishmash of most post-apocalyptic stories. Where is the hook.” “If the dog dies I don’t want to see it.’”

More….

SATURDAY AM WRITETHRU after Friday afternoon post: It’s Spidey’s world, and Jacob Elordi and Wile E. Coyote are just living in it. But let’s not ignore the pace we’re seeing on Ketchup Entertainment’s release of the abandoned Warner Bros Looney Tunes title, Coyote Vs. Acme, which is eyeing third place now with $14M. Coyote vs. Acme received an awesome A CinemaScore, as well as a 93% positive and 82% definite recommend on Screen Engine/Rentak’s PostTrak.

That’s a record domestic start for indie Ketchup Entertainment, whose previous opening high was Warner’s other discarded Looney Tunes pic, 2024’s Porky Pig-Daffy Duck feature The Day the Earth Blew Up ($3.1M). Coyote vs. Acme is booked at 3,575 theaters.

Keep in mind the following: this is an indie distributor, not a major studio, so the P&A spend was very thrifty – I hear around $10M. For Coyote vs. Acme to make something of an impression here and outstrip the marketing wattage and box office of a Jacob Elordi starring, Ridley Scott directed movie in Dog Stars,which is tanking with an $8M start in 5th place (ala another $60M auteur project from a year ago, Darren Aronofsky’s Austin Butler starring Caught Stealing, which began with $7.8M and died at $19M). Dog Stars gets a C+ CinemaScore, a 65% positive and awful 41% definite recommend on PostTrak which is better than the D of Scott’s 2013 dramatic disaster, The Counselor. That starry vehicle had Brad Pitt, Cameron Diaz, Penelope Cruz, Michael Fassbender and opened to $7.8M and finaled at $16.9M stateside.

If families find Coyote vs. Acme today, then the Will Forte, Lana Condor, John Cena movie has a shot at being No. 2 with potentially $15M ahead of Universal’s The Odyssey. Right now, Nolan’s feature take of Homer’s epic refuses to let go of second, with a seventh frame of $14.6M, -26%, and a running cume of $564.1M by Sunday.

Despite all the noise that fans created on social about Warner Bros axing Coyote vs. Acme, social media analytics firm RelishMix measures its followers across TikTok, YouTube, X, Instagram and Facebook at 115.5M, which is under another Warner Bros live-action animation hybrid movie from February 2021, Tom & Jerry which counted a social media reach of 159M. That pic opened to $14.1M and finaled at $46.5M. While Ketchup Entertainment took the world on Coyote vs. Acme for $50M, note that they sold off foreign for around $20M. V10 Entertainment handled the pay-1 window and downstream rights sales to Coyote vs. Acme and other Ketchup titles.

Reports RelishMix on Coyote vs. Acme, “What’s obviously missing on this film is the social heft of a major studio, which would drive reach and engagement — as the film lines-up with stats like an indy platform release. Otherwise, as we’ve been tracking, the pre-release social media universe SMU stats on Coyote v Acme are running 68% below family live genre norms across TikTok, Facebook, X, YouTube and Instagram combined while convo has hit full positive.”

RelishMix adds that “audiences are treating the film less like another release and more like a long-overdue rescue mission. The campaign benefits from years of pent-up goodwill, creating an unusually passionate community that wants to reward the movie simply for surviving. Nostalgia works because viewers consistently compare it favorably to Who Framed Roger Rabbit, Space Jam, Looney Tunes: Back in Action, and The Day the Earth Blew Up, while arguing it finally gives Wile E. Coyote the justice he has deserved for decades. Fans also embrace the contemporary entertainment legal premise, imagining Acme finally answering for generations of defective products, while John Cena clicks positive reactions as an over-the-top corporate villain. The convo shifts from passive interest to advocacy, encouraging fans to buy tickets and support the theatrical release. ‘Roger Rabbit meets The Road Runner. I’m here for it.’ to ‘I can’t believe they wanted to write this film off. It looks freaking amazing.’” Cena has been pumping the pic to his 83M fans.

Coyote vs. Acme has some PLFs which are driving 6% of the weekend with an even play across the country, but best in East, Midwest and West. The AMC Burbank is the top grossing location with $47K.

Demos at this point are 82% general, 8% parents and 10 kids under 12. Male leaning at 57%. The 25-34 quad is the biggest at a huge 38%. Under 35 is very notable at 66%. Diversity demos are 51% Caucasian, 29% Latino and Hispanic, 9% Black, 7% Asian American and 4% Native American/other.

RELATED: ‘Coyote vs. Acme’ Review: The Movie Warner Bros Shelved In 2023 Becomes Its Most Entertaining Film Of 2026 & Best Live Action/Toon Hybrid Since ‘Roger Rabbit’

The slow-paced, looks-like-The Last-of-Us Dog Stars, has 27% of its weekend being generated by PLFs. Best area of play are the West where close to a third of the pic’s money is coming from versus the norm of 25%. AMC Burbank is the top grossing location with $19K through Friday.

The Elordi fans didn’t come out for this with women under 25 only repping 6% (and those who did show up gave the movie a 41% definite recommend). Men over 25, however few, were first at 45%, women over 25 counted 39%, followed by men under 25 at 10%. The 25-34 had the biggest share among age demos at 33%. The over 35 repped 51%. Diversity demos were 54% Caucasian, 20% Latino and Hispanic, 10% Black, Asian American 8% and Native American/other at 8%.

Sony/Marvel Studios’ Spider-Man: Brand New Day posted a fifth Friday of $5.5M and fifth weekend at $21M in 1st at 3,678 theaters, which would get the movie to less than $10M’s breath away from $900M by Sunday. Again, a great No. 1 hold for a title this late in the summer, post-Covid. A year ago at this time, New Line’s Weapons led with $10.4M in its fourth sesh.

Fourth is Sony’s second weekend of Screen Gems/Stage 6/Blumhouse Atomic Monster’s Insidious: Out of the Further at 3,303 sites with a Friday of $3M and 3-day of $9.3M, -63%, with a 10-day cume by Sunday of $42.8M.

RELATED: ‘The Dog Stars’ Review: Jacob Elordi Searches For Last Gasp Of Humanity In Ridley Scott’s Sharp Postapocalyptic Thriller

Outside the top five, there’s Roadside Attractions and Saban’s R-rated Buddy with a first Friday/ previews of $2.1M and 3-day around $4.65M at 1,258 sites. Critics are at 88% certified fresh while the audience likes it at 81%. Buddy, we hear, had some good sales in NYC, LA, Chicago, Toronto, Orlando, Phoenix and San Diego pulling in a great 41% of the 18-24 bunch. West is also big for this edgy comedy with 31% of the business versus the norm of 25.1% for other titles. AMC Empire in NYC has the top gross so far with close to $21K through Friday.

The penultimate weekend of summer is racing up an estimated $100M from all titles per sources, +55% from a year ago which did $64.4M per Box Office Mojo.

The chart as of this AM:

10. Tony (A24) 1,907 (+265) theaters, Fri $631K (-71%), 3-day $2.1M, -57%, Total $10.9M/Wk 4 

FRIDAY AM: Ketchup Entertainment’s dog rescue of Warner Bros Animation’s Coyote vs. Acme was solid in previews with $1.7M. That includes not only Thursday money from showtimes that began at 3 p.m. but also $446K from last weekend’s sneaks in U.S. and Canada. The Dave Green-directed PG live-action/animated hybrid is expected to do plus-or-minus $15M this weekend.

Funny enough, and keep an asterisk in this comp, that’s the same amount of money that Disney 2016’s Zootopia made in preview cash. But that was a different time, and that tentpole was backed by a mega marketing budget. We hear that the P&A spend on Coyote vs. Acme is around $10M after Ketchup’s $50M global acquisition.

A good post-Covid animation comp here is Universal/Illumination’s 2023 Migration, which did $1.5M in previews (granted, during a pre-Christmas weekend) en route to a $5.7M Friday and $12.4M 3-day. For those counting, Warner Bros’ previous Looney Tunes movie, Space Jam 2: A New Legacy, didn’t hold previews when it hit theaters and HBO Max at the same time back in July 2021.

Coyote vs. Acme is 95% certified fresh with critics and 92% with audiences, which will only help the pic. Now the question is whether it expands beyond its core fervent social media fanbase.

Ridley’s Scott’s dystopian-future thriller The Dog Stars, led by Jacob Elordi and Josh Brolin, began with $850K on Thursday. The hope is that this feature could make it to a $12M-$14M start. The comp going into the weekend was the Rami Malek-starring 20th Century Studios thriller The Amateur from last year, but that did $2M in previews for a near-$6M Friday and a $14.8M start. Dog Stars is, of course, way lower in previews. Thursday’s shows began at 2 p.m. for the R-rated feature take on the Peter Heller novel. Critics weren’t yipping for Dog Stars at 40% Rotten. The pic is sharing Imax theaters with The Odyssey and PLFs with Spider-Man: Brand New Day.

Sony/Marvel Studios’ Spider-Man: Brand New Day ends Week 4 for with $53.3M and a running cume of $869.2M. That’s $30.8M from crossing the nine-century mark at the domestic box office, which would make it only the second title to hit that milestone. At its current running cume level, the pic is 5% ahead of Star Wars: The Force Awakens at the same point in time, which finaled at $936.6M. Weekend 5 is expected to be around $18M, -54%.

RELATED: ‘Spider-Man: Brand New Day’ Conquers ‘Avengers: Endgame’ To Become 2nd Highest Grossing Pic At Domestic Box Office

Roadside Attractions and Saban’s Sundance pickup Buddy did $777K in previews, which includes Thursday night’s $527K in addition to $250K in mystery movie screenings. The Casper Kelly’s R-rated dark comedy is booked in 1,258 theaters. Starring Cristin Milioti, Topher Grace and the voice of Patton Oswalt, it follows a brave girl and her friends who must escape a kids TV show and its murderous main character.

RELATED: 48 Of The Most Anticipated Movies Of 2026

Week’s top 5: