With a budget of $120 million, Francis Ford Coppola's "Megalopolis" grossed only $4 million on its opening weekend, making it one of the worst box office openings for a $100M+ movie to date.
Factoring in marketing costs and the theaters taking their cut of the profits, Megalopolis would need to make at least $300 million to break even. I think it's safe to say that's not happening.
It would have been THE worst opening for a $100 million movie ever, had it not been for Pluto Nash's horriffic opening 22 years ago.
It's bad. If it was good, the story would have been pretty different.
Obviously some people will still like it. But even those will have to admit it's an incredible mess, and it shows why no company wanted to invest in it.
I saw it hoping this was the case, but sadly it's just not very good. I loved the visuals, the ambition, and his commitment to try and breakout of traditional storytelling methods, but the ham-fisted handling of the subject matter really ruined it for me. By all means see it for yourself and be your own judge but I wouldn't go in expecting an underrated masterpiece.
AFAIK, the movie received a 10-minute standing ovation at Cannes. It is an art film first and foremost, and probably not for the general audience that flocks to the same old, boring formulaic movies a la Marvel & co.
Same here, and frankly I will never again think it is surprising that a theatrical release is underperforming. Doesn't matter which film. Theaters are underperforming because of many factors.
I can buy my own copy of the film for less than it would take for me and one other person to see it together once in a theater.
Which is why for someone like me who always hated theaters for the crowded seats and annoying people and noises, it’s never been better! Subscription to see movies whenever I want, and usually less than 10 people in the theater. It’s great.
Yeah, I can understand that. While I will mourn the death of the theater experience, it has been a very slow death. It has not really been the experience I remember for a long time.
Not really sad. Coppola is an artist, first and foremost, and he said that he doesn't care whether the film will be financially successful. It is a passion project financed at least partially from his own money, and to be his magnum opus.