‘Coyote Vs. Acme’ Release Sees Ketchup Team With Crowdfunding Specialist Legion M

The long and winding road to the big screen for Coyote vs. Acme is taking another turn ahead of its summer release, with crowdfunding company Legion M teaming with distributor Ketchup Entertainment.

Launched in 2016, Legion M is an equity crowdfunded company with more than 60,000 investors and hundreds of thousands of online followers. It has played a role in the releases of more than 15 films, partnering with Neon (Colossal), Searchlight (Tolkien) and Bleecker Street (Fackham Hall), augmenting the distributors’ marketing efforts through direct contact with ticket buyers. The company’s primary mission is to channel the energy and preferences of fans in a challenging theatrical marketplace for marketers of both specialty and wide releases.

After being shelved by Warner Bros, Coyote vs. Acme was revived after an outcry from fans and talent, eventually selling last year to Ketchup in a deal said to be in the $50 million range. The live action/animation hybrid is due to hit theaters August 28, and the deal with Legion M means the fans who rescued the film from the dustbin can now become investors in it.

Directed by David Green and written by May December scribe Samy Burch, the film is produced by Chris deFaria and DC Studios co-head James Gunn. The film, whose cast includes Will Forte, John Cena, Lana Condor and Tone Bell, is based on Wile E. Coyote and other Looney Tunes characters as well as a New Yorker humor article by Ian Frazier.

In a joint statement, Legion M co-founders Jeff Annison and Paul Scanlan said Coyote vs. Acme is “exactly the sort of movie Legion M was built for.” They noted that the film “almost didn’t see the light of day because of the unpredictable nature of the business. As a company owned by fans, we couldn’t be prouder to partner with the amazing folks at Ketchup and show the world that when fans unite…we can do anything!”

Ketchup CEO Gareth West said Coyote “has already inspired an incredible groundswell of passion from fans, and Legion M’s unique community-driven approach makes them the perfect partner to help champion its release. Together, we’re excited to celebrate the creativity, humor, and heart that make this project so special.”