The financial prospects of Francis Ford Coppola’s new filmMegalopolisaren’t looking good. The new movie from the famed director ofBram Stoker’s DraculaandThe Godfathertrilogy comes out this weekend.Megalopolisis a sci-fi epicthat centers around an ambitious architect who attempts to reconstruct the city of New Rome into a utopia after a devastating disaster. It features an impressive cast, which includes Adam Driver, Giancarlo Esposito, Nathalie Emmanuel, Aubrey Plaza, Shia LaBeouf, and Laurence Fishburne.
A report fromVarietysays that Coppola’sMegalopolisis expected to open to a $5 to $7 million box office draw. This news is concerning considering the movie’s massive budget. Coppola financed it himself, putting $120 million into it. Lionsgate is distributing and marketing the movie and will receive a fee in exchange. It will screen in 1,700 movie theaters across North America; it is important to note that the single-digit projection is for the movie’s domestic total only. The other major movie releasing this weekend is Universal’sThe Wild Robot,which is projected to earn between $24 and $30 million.
What This Means For Megalopolis
Megalopolis Is Not In A Good Position
Megalopolishas faced a tumultuous marketing campaignriddled with hardship, controversy, and, ultimately, intrigue. The film has so far opened to divisive reviews from critics.It currently has a 50% Rotten Tomatoes scorefrom critics. While this should have sparked interest from viewers to see what the hubbub’s about, these latest projections suggest that this is far from the case, and that audiences are taking a different message away.
Megalopolis Review: Francis Ford Coppola’s Chaotic Fever Dream Grasps Onto A Dying Hope For Humanity
Megalopolis isn’t just a transcendental delight for the senses, it’s a manifestation of Coppola’s dreams for humanity and his dedication to cinema.
Adding to the discord surroundingMegalopolis, a trailer featured AI-generated quotes attributed to well-known critics that seemed to slamprevious Coppola movies, but were in fact swiftly proven to be false. Lionsgate pulled the spot after heavy criticism. The controversy doesn’t stop there. Coppola himself made fans scratch heads whenhe gave his upcoming film a perfect rating on Letterboxd. The prediction thatMegalopolisis going to make under $10 million in its opening weekend only seems to confirm the scandal hasn’t paid off, and that the movie isn’t going to be an instant hit.
Our Take On These Megalopolis Projections
Heavy Competition On Its Opening Weekend Doesn’t Help
Megalopolisfaces fierce competition in its opening weekend, as an earlier September release, Tim Burton’s darkly whimsicalBeetlejuice Beetlejuice,is still going strong at the box office. On top of that,The Wild Robotis also debuting, and its position is far more favorable. Its status as a family-friendly animated movie opens it up to a wider audience, and it currently holds a near-perfect score from critics on Rotten Tomatoes, a 99%.Megalopolis’controversy-ridden release can’t quite hold up to that.
The seeming failure of Megalopolis might just be a misstep from the director instead of a sign that Coppola has lost his touch.
Despite heavy criticism, most of Coppola’s films have become genuine classics, includingThe GodfathertrilogyandApocalypse Now. However, as the stats line up before the new film’s release,it’s possible that his latest moviewon’t see the same success. It’s a disheartening scenario, considering the filmmaker’s previous success and established talent. However, the seeming failure ofMegalopolismight just be a misstep from the director instead of a sign that Coppola has lost his touch.
Megalopolis
Cast
Megalopolis, directed by Francis Ford Coppola, is a visionary 2024 film exploring the ambitious dream of reconstructing New York City into a utopia, following a devastating disaster. The narrative delves into the clash between the architect’s utopian vision and the political and personal turmoil that ensues. With a star-studded cast, the film examines themes of ambition, power, and the human spirit’s resilience against the backdrop of a futuristic metropolis.
