Overview
- The film, long finished but shelved by Warner Bros., reached theaters on Aug. 28 after Ketchup Entertainment acquired global rights and mounted an independent release.
- Ketchup paid roughly $50 million for distribution rights and spent a modest marketing sum, and the movie grossed about $1.7 million in Thursday previews and $15.4 million over its opening weekend.
- Critics have widely praised the hybrid live-action/animation movie, which holds about a mid-90s approval on review aggregators and earned strong audience scores and an A CinemaScore.
- Warner Bros. shelved the roughly $70 million production in late 2023 and reportedly took a roughly $30 million tax write-off, a decision that provoked public outcry and sustained campaigns to save the film.
- Industry observers say the release could influence studio behavior because it shows finished projects can find an audience after rescue by a smaller distributor and strong critical support.