Coyote vs. Acme, a hybrid of animation and live-action, opened on 3,575 North American screens and grossed $15.4 million over the weekend. The film, starring Will Forte, Lana Condor, and John Cena, earned an A CinemaScore from audiences and is the biggest debut for its independent distributor, Ketchup Entertainment.

The Film’s Background and Reception

News broke in late 2023 that Warner Bros. had shelved the completed Coyote vs. Acme as a tax write-off. After public backlash, Ketchup Entertainment acquired the rights for $50 million, the film has earned critical acclaim, with 95 percent approval on Rotten Tomatoes, as the Hollywood Reporter’s Frank Scheck called it “a hilarious delight.”

Competition at the Box Office

In fifth place was The Dog Stars, a sci-fi thriller starring Jacob Elordi, Josh Brolin, Margaret Qualley, and Guy Pearce; the film opened to $8 million in 3,300 locations. It received a 41 percent critics approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes and a 70 audience score, Hollywood Reporter critic David Rooney described it as “minor-key to a fault.”

Spider-Man: Brand New Day maintained its top position for the fifth consecutive weekend, earning $22.2 million. The film has now earned $891.5 million domestically, making it the second-highest-grossing title in U.S. box office history behind Star Wars: Episode VII — The Force Awakens, which earned $936.6 million in 2015.

Globally, Brand New Day reached No. 4 at the box office with a total of $2.332 billion; it is now just behind 2022’s Avatar: The Way of Water, which sits at No. 3 with $2.334 billion. Other films on the global chart include Ne Zha 2 at No. 5 with $2.27 billion and Titanic at No. 6 with $2.26 billion.

Other Notable Titles

Christopher Nolan’s The Odyssey held third place with $14.3 million, bringing its domestic total to $563.8 million after seven weekends. Sony’s Insidious: Out of the Further earned $10.1 million in its second weekend for a total of $43.6 million, though it experienced a 59 percent decline from its opening.

Another newcomer was Roadside Attractions’ horror-comedy Buddy, which earned $5.3 million from 1,258 locations; the film stars Cristin Milioti, Topher Grace, and Keegan-Michael Key and was noted by David Rooney for not quite reaching the extremes it aimed for.

As the 2026 summer box office nears its end, the weekend’s titles earned an estimated $97 million, down from last weekend’s $130.5 million. Rentrak predicts the summer will gross $4.444 billion by Sunday, placing it 25.5 percent ahead of last year’s total but in fourth place behind the summers of 2013, 2016, and 2015.