Francis Ford Coppola’s long-awaited sci-fi epic Megalopolis is shaping up to be one of the biggest financial disasters of 2024.
With a staggering budget of $120 million, Coppola’s self-financed film was expected to leave a lasting mark on the box office. However, the movie has failed to make an impact, losing out to the highly anticipated Telugu film Devara Part 1.
Megalopolis: A Box Office Struggle
Despite its wide release and star-studded cast, Megalopolis has grossed a disappointing $4 million at the North American box office during its opening weekend.
Competing against Devara Part 1—a regional film led by Jr NTR and Saif Ali Khan—Megalopolis was unable to hold its own. Devara earned $5.1 million in the same markets, further highlighting Coppola’s film’s struggles.
The international box office was no better for Megalopolis, as it brought in only $2.1 million overseas. This brings the movie’s total worldwide earnings to $6.1 million,
which pales in comparison to Devara’s $33 million and the top-performing animated film The Wild Robot, which grossed $45 million globally.
Why Megalopolis Failed at the Box Office
One of the major reasons for Megalopolis’ poor performance is its mixed reviews. Critics and audiences alike had high hopes for the film, which had been in the works for 40 years.
Unfortunately, despite its visually ambitious storytelling and star-studded cast—including Adam Driver, Giancarlo Esposito, and Aubrey Plaza—the film’s narrative and pacing left much to be desired.
Early reviews on Rotten Tomatoes further reflected the film’s struggles, with a poor audience score. Negative word-of-mouth only worsened its box office fate, resulting in low turnout and a disappointing opening weekend.
Budget and Production Woes
Coppola invested heavily in this passion project, putting in $80 million of his own money to make Megalopolis a reality. The film’s production budget alone was $120 million, and that doesn’t even include marketing and distribution costs.
Despite its massive financial backing, the film’s slow box office performance raises concerns about its ability to recoup these expenses.
Can Megalopolis Turn Things Around?
With its current trajectory, Megalopolis is on the path to becoming one of 2024’s biggest flops. It remains to be seen if the film can gain momentum in the coming weeks,
but with competition from other blockbusters and continued negative reviews, the future seems uncertain.
A Cinematic Legacy at Risk?
While Coppola is no stranger to risky productions, with hits like Apocalypse Now proving his resilience, Megalopolis may not join his roster of classics.
Despite his legendary status in Hollywood, the question remains: Is Megalopolis coming out in 2024 to deliver a comeback story, or will it fade as another failed passion project?
For those keeping an eye on the Megalopolis box office worldwide total, it’s evident that the film will need an extraordinary change in fortune to reach even a fraction of its $120 million budget.
Industry experts predict that Megalopolis is more likely to end up as a major box office flop.
For more updates on Megalopolis and how its box office battle unfolds, stay tuned to Filmitop.com.