Mid-summer releases 'The Dog Stars' and 'Coyote vs. Acme' aim to challenge Spider-Man at the box office

Disney is releasing Ridley Scott's adaptation of Peter Heller's novel The Dog Stars this weekend, positioning it as an adult-oriented alternative to the Marvel-driven summer. The film, starring Jacob Elordi, Josh Brolin and Margaret Qualley, opens in 3,300 U.S. theaters, including 120 IMAX screens, and is projected to earn between $10 million and $14 million in its opening weekend despite a 36 % Rotten Tomatoes rating. Disney expects the movie to attract male viewers over 25, while also hoping to draw Elordi's female fan base.

Ketchup Entertainment is distributing Warner Bros.' previously shelved live-action/animation hybrid Coyote vs. Acme, which follows Wile E. Coyote in a legal battle against the fictional Acme corporation. The film, directed by Dave Green and featuring Will Forte and John Cena, is slated for a limited release with Thursday previews and a wider rollout beginning in Latin America and the United Kingdom. Early tracking suggests an opening in the $7 million-$15 million range, a notable figure for the independent distributor.

Both titles arrive as Spider-Man: Brand New Day remains at the top of the domestic box office, holding the No. 1 spot for a fifth weekend with $18 million in earnings. Industry data from Rentrak indicates the current summer is on track to approach the 2013 record of $4.756 billion, with 130 days of box-office activity between early May and Labor Day.

"I’ve got to get the f*** out of here," actor Josh Brolin said in reference to his experience on The Dog Stars.

"Extreme frustration, fiery frustration, a lot of anger," Will Forte described his reaction to the film’s earlier cancellation by Warner Bros.

The releases also coincide with other modestly budgeted titles, including Roadside Attractions' Buddy and IFC's Idiots, which open on a smaller scale this weekend.