It’s still kind of amazing that Coyote vs. Acme made it onto the 2026 movie release schedule at all. Warner Bros. shelved the finished Looney Tunes movie in 2023, along with other big films, to get tax write-offs worth millions. Later, the studio changed its mind and let the filmmakers look for a new distributor. That’s when Ketchup Entertainment stepped in, and now plenty of people are showing up to see the movie on the big screen. We know the film had an impressive box office debut, but is it actually a hit? And how much does it need to earn to make money?What The Box Office Numbers Look LikeBox Office Mojo reports that Coyote vs. Acme has made about $38.6 million in the US and $49.5 million worldwide as of September 8. It opened with $15.9 million domestically, so it’s bringing in steady business instead of ticket sales quickly falling off a cliff. Using the phrase “falling off a cliff” for a Wile E. Coyote movie might not be the best choice of words.The movie’s original production budget was about $70 million, which is what Warner Bros. allegedly spent to make it. (The studio hasn't released specific numbers, but that's what's we've heard.) The studio first decided it wasn’t worth spending another $30 to $40 million to market and release the film. Later, Ketchup bought the movie for around $50 million. For Ketchup, the original $70 million budget doesn’t matter much since Warner Bros. already covered it. Their real investment was about $50 million for the distribution rights.An old Hollywood rule says a movie needs to make about 2.5 times its cost at the box office to turn a profit. For Coyote vs. Acme, that means it would need to earn around $125 million worldwide to really get rolling. With $49.5 million so far, it’s still about $75.5 million away from that goal.But before anyone rushes to paint "$125 MILLION OR BUST" on a rocket, remember that the 2.5 times rule is just a guideline, not a strict rule. The real math is a lot more complicated.(Image credit: Ketchup Entertainment)The Math Is Even Messier Than It SeemsJust because the movie made $50 million at the box office doesn’t mean Ketchup pockets all of that. Theaters keep part of the ticket sales, and the distributor also had to spend money to market and release the film. Still, box office earnings aren’t the only way Coyote vs. Acme can make money.Ketchup bought the rights instead of paying to make the movie from the start, and they can keep making money from Digital rentals, purchases, DVDs, TV, streaming, and other deals. These extra income streams can add a lot. Major studio movies often make as much or more from these sales as from theaters, especially for family-friendly or nostalgic films like this one. For a mid-budget movie like Coyote vs. Acme, Digital and home sales could bring in several million more, and streaming or TV deals might add another $10 to $20 million. This all affects how much of the box office money actually goes to Ketchup.$125 million is a helpful target, but it’s not a magic number that guarantees profitability. Coyote vs. Acme has already achieved a lot for a smaller distributor. Its $15.9 million opening was the company's biggest ever, and audiences gave it an A CinemaScore while critics were very positive. Still, whether or not it will actually be a big office winner is a lot more uncertain. The movie might keep doing well at the box office. As of September 8, Coyote vs. Acme was only behind Spider-Man: Brand New Day and The Odyssey for the month’s domestic earnings. There’s still a long way to go before it’s truly profitable in theaters, but after years stuck in a Warner Bros. vault, it’s impressive that Wile E. Coyote is even part of the conversation. So far, this Acme product hasn’t blown up in anyone's face, but the road ahead is still a winding one for the little flick that could. After years of fans keeping the hope alive, Coyote vs. Acme is now showing in theaters. It deserves our attention after the long and winding road it took to hit theaters, no painted tunnel gag involved.