Updated
Updated · The Guardian · Aug 14
Coyote vs Acme Nears Global Release After $50 Million Rescue From Warner Shelving
Updated
Updated · The Guardian · Aug 14

Coyote vs Acme Nears Global Release After $50 Million Rescue From Warner Shelving

3 articles · Updated · The Guardian · Aug 14

Summary

  • Ketchup Entertainment is preparing a global release for "Coyote vs Acme," reviving the film nearly three years after Warner Bros. shelved it as part of a tax write-off.
  • Warner had backed the live-action/animation courtroom comedy with a $70 million budget, then canceled it in 2023 just months after wrap despite strong test screenings, according to director Dave Green and star Will Forte.
  • Public backlash helped keep the project alive: fans and crew protested online, and composer Steven Price posted a recording clip that drew 6.8 million views.
  • Ketchup bought the film for about $50 million and set an August 28 theatrical release, turning a Hollywood tax-write-off saga into an underdog comeback story.

Insights

Will Ketchup Entertainment's $50 million gamble prove that Hollywood's controversial tax write-off trend is a costly mistake?
How did fan outrage force a major studio to abandon a $30 million tax write-off and save this film?