'Coyote Vs. Acme', 'Dog Stars' To Feud With 'Spider

Key Points:

• Sony/Marvel’s Spider-Man: Brand New Day remains No. 1 at the box office for the fifth week with $18M, despite a 54% drop, as the summer season approaches a potential record-breaking domestic box office total nearing 2013’s $4.756 billion.
• Ridley Scott’s The Dog Stars, a dystopian thriller starring Jacob Elordi and Josh Brolin, opens this weekend with mixed critical reviews (36% on Rotten Tomatoes) and an estimated $10M-$14M domestic debut; Disney positions it as adult counterprogramming amid a summer dominated by blockbuster franchises.
• Ketchup Entertainment is releasing Warner Bros.’ shelved live-action/animated hybrid Coyote vs. Acme, starring Will Forte and John Cena, with projections now around a $15M opening, fueled by cult interest and social media buzz following its previous cancellation and a modest marketing campaign.
• The Dog Stars is launching globally across multiple territories this week, excluding China, with a projected $25M-$30M worldwide debut; meanwhile, Coyote vs. Acme will have a slow international rollout starting in Latin America and the UK.
• Additional wide releases this weekend include Roadside Attractions’ Buddy and IFC’s Idiots starring Dave Franco, expanding the variety of films competing for audience attention as the summer box office season nears its end.