The American epic Megalopolis was the long-awaited dream project of the visionary filmmaker Francis Ford Coppola. He fully committed to the film, taking on the roles of writer, director, and producer. After decades of development, the movie premiered in 2024 but received a disappointing response.
It failed to create any cinematic magic, resulting in significant financial loss for Coppola, who self-financed the project with a budget of $120 million. While there are many potential reasons for a film’s box office failure, this article will explore the top five reasons why Megalopolis likely did not succeed.
5. Megalopolis Reviews: A Mixed Bag of Opinions
The journey of Francis Ford Coppola’s Megalopolis is as complex as the film itself. After years of development, Coppola finally began filming in 2022, using $120 million of his own funds. Set in a fictional New York City, the story follows architect Cesar Catilina, played by Adam Driver, as he takes on a corrupt mayor, portrayed by Giancarlo Esposito.
Since premiering at the Cannes Film Festival, Megalopolis has stirred controversy, facing allegations of misconduct on set and criticism for a trailer that featured fake quotes from critics. With a 51% rating on Rotten Tomatoes, audience reactions have been split.
Further, critics have offered mixed reviews; Kyle Smith from The Wall Street Journal described the film as confusing, while David Rooney from The Hollywood Reporter admired Coppola’s bold attempt to create something unique. While some felt the film was too long and shallow, others highlighted its stunning visuals.
4. A Slow Start at the Box Office
Megalopolis had a rocky start at the box office, bringing in only $4 million during its opening weekend. This was a stark contrast to the success of DreamWorks’ animated feature The Wild Robot, which topped the charts with around $35 million in ticket sales.
As the movie looks to finish in sixth place, it finds itself trailing behind several films that have been in theaters for weeks. This includes Devara Part 1, a Telugu-language film that managed to earn about $5.6 million in its debut weekend.
Despite the disappointing numbers, Coppola remains unfazed by the film’s financial struggles. He expressed his perspective in an interview with the Associated Press via Independent, saying, “Everyone’s so worried about money. I say: Give me less money and give me more friends.”
3. Box Office Competition
In a surprising turn at the box office, Universal and DreamWorks Animation’s The Wild Robot took the top spot, earning about $35 million from nearly 4,000 theaters. In contrast, Francis Ford Coppola’s highly anticipated movie Megalopolis had a disappointing opening, bringing in only $4 million from 1,854 locations across North America.
Megalopolis did not meet expectations, which had projected an opening between $5 million and $7 million. This is especially concerning given its large budget of $120 million. To make matters worse, the film received poor reviews, earning a “D+” grade from CinemaScore.
2. Nathalie Emmanuel’s Underwhelming Performance
In Megalopolis, most actors deliver strong performances that fit the movie’s style, but Nathalie Emmanuel’s role as Julia Cicero stands out for the wrong reasons. Although she tried to give a strong performance to match the film’s wild script, it didn’t work. Instead of adding to the movie, her acting felt annoying and distracting, taking away from the great work of Adam Driver, who played Cesar.
1. Coppola’s $120 Million Gamble on Megalopolis
Francis Ford Coppola, at 85 years old, spent many years on Megalopolis. To fund the project, he even sold part of his winery, raising about $120 million for production and an additional $20 million for marketing. Despite his efforts, the film struggled to attract audiences. Estimates showed that ticket sales only reached around $4 million in North America, which was even lower than the worst-case expectations.
