Coyote vs. ACME is finally being released in cinemas across the world. After Warner Bros attempted to shelve the film for a tax write-off in 2023, it was saved by independent distributor Ketchup Entertainment and is now in cinemas across the U.S., UK, and more.
Fans in Australia will have to wait a little longer however. While the film was released in the US on August 28th, the film doesn’t release here in Australia until a three weeks later on September 17th.
Australian Release Date
Coyote vs. ACME releases in Australian cinemas on September 17th, 2026. That’s a full 20 days after the U.S. release date (August 28th) and 27 days later than the UK release date (August 21st).
So, why is Australia getting the film so much later?
While we don’t know the real reason the film has been delayed in Australia, our best guess is that it has been delayed on purpose to line up with the local school holidays. Animated and family movies often get delayed in Australia so that they can release at an optimal time for kids and families to attend cinemas. In Victoria and Queensland, the next school holidays start on September 19th, just two days after Coyote vs ACME releases, while in NSW they begin on the 28th of September. Although most fans will be upset to have to wait, this could be the most likely explanation.
Pinnacle Films is distributing the movie in Australian cinemas. They are an independent distributor and DVD production company. They have developed a relationship with Ketchup Entertainment in the U.S., licensing their films for distribution in Australia. Most recently they released the latest animated Looney Tunes movie “The Day the Earth Blew Up” in Australian cinemas after Ketchup released it in the U.S.
Coyote vs ACME
In any case, it’s taken a long road for Coyote vs. ACME to reach cinemas at all. After new CEO David Zaslav came on board to lead the company, Warner Bros. Discovery shelved the completed picture in November 2023, planning to claim roughly $30 million in tax write-offs rather than release it.
The decision drew immediate and public backlash, and the studio eventually allowed the filmmakers to shop the finished film elsewhere. Bids from Netflix, Amazon and Paramount followed, and were rejected. For a time the film still looked like it would be permanently deleted.
Then finally, Ketchup Entertainment acquired worldwide rights in March 2025 for a reported $50 million, and it is Ketchup, alongside Warner Bros. Pictures, that has finally shepherded it to release.
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