Francis Ford Coppola had one ambition and that was Megalopolis, the movie he called his passion project and something he always wanted to make. But, the sci-fi movie But, it’s not proven something mega– both at the box office and critics’ hand as well. Despite all these, three big names have come along to appreciate Coppola’s project.
Guillermo Del Toro, Spike Jonze Among Other To Praise Megalopolis
Megalopolis. Image Credit: Lionsgate
Megalopolis, self-funded science fiction film tells the story of a future in which an attempt is made to convert a post-disaster New York City into a utopia. It’s also something of a Roman epic, with its main characters wearing names like Cesar Catalina, Mayor Franklyn Cicero, and Hamilton Crassus III. The movie’s cast is as sprawling as its vision, and includes Adam Driver, Giancarlo Esposito, Aubrey Plaza, Laurence Fishburne, and Grace VanderWaal.
As the movie is running in almost-near-empty theaters, few top Hollywood directors including Guillermo del Toro, Spike Jonze and Steven Soderbergh are in awe of Francis Ford Coppola.
Spike Jonze reflected on his experience, emphasizing how deeply the tone resonated with him. While he admitted that he had heard about the project beforehand, he stated, “I’ve never seen anything like it,” expressing how the film surpassed all his expectations. What stood out most to him was the lively and electric atmosphere, which he described as vividly bringing ideas and the world to life. “I laughed out loud the whole time,” Jonze added, emphasizing how the performances and details of the film left a lasting impression on him.
Here’s what Jonze said:
“I’m still smiling from it. Radical. I’ve never seen anything like it. I remember hearing about it but never could have imagined what it came to be. There was so much I loved about it, but the tone was the thing that got most under my skin. It was funny and alive and electric and made the world and ideas so vivid. The performances Francis created with the actors and the details of the world… I laughed out loud the whole time. The play and surrealism and joy of creating. It’s incredible that he’s been thinking and working on it as long as he has but it still felt of today, about now and the world we are both in and careening towards.“
Guillermo del Toro’s reaction further emphasized this point, as he remarked that Francis Ford Coppola’s boldness and fearlessness as a filmmaker have not faded over time. He expressed his awe with a concise but impactful statement: “Swept by Megalopolis!”
“Francis is still the same bold, fearless, inventive filmmaker that he was in his 20’s. I was Swept by Megalopolis!” said del Toro.
Steven Soderbergh, equally captivated, shared how the film’s sheer imagination left a profound effect on him. He expressed his wonder, calling it “the craziest thing ever shot on American soil.” Soderbergh was deeply inspired by the film, to the point that it continued to impact him even after the viewing. “I dreamt about it all night—it was inspiring!” he added, a testament to the power and creativity behind Megalopolis.
“WOW! This might be the craziest thing ever shot on American soil. Certainly, one of the most sustained acts of pure imagination I’ve ever seen. I dreamt about it all night—it was inspiring!“
Megalopolis Has Not Performed Well at the Boxoffice
Megalopolis. Image Credit: Lionsgate
Francis Ford Coppola’s Megalopolis was supposed to be one of the year’s biggest risks, but its box office bombing was not something analysts expected, at least to this extent. As those who spent big bucks to see it scratch their heads over how much it actually raked in, poor numbers explain why it failed to connect with moviegoers. As Variety reports, it grossed only $4 million in the opening weekend in the United States, but that shows that this is a film that faced steep challenges from day one.
Of course, on its opening day, Megalopolis managed only $1.8 million while previews on Monday and Thursday added an estimated $770,000 to the total according to Deadline. That $4 million opening helped the film come in a far distant sixth place in the box office standings, a result that tells not just the tale of the disappointing commercial performance but also of its inability to have a chance against any others at the time.
As early as May, the film’s premiere at the Cannes Film Festival hinted at a warning sign for Coppola’s bold project. Critics were highly divided and gave the movie a “rotten” score of 49% on Rotten Tomatoes. Mixed reactions from the festival audience hinted that the struggle of the film went beyond poor marketing or external factors.
From the start, Hollywood had doubts that Megalopolis was going to earn enough box office. The fact that Coppola could not find a distributor only made the doubts more visible. Although he was an accomplished director, when Coppola pitched the film to the various studios, none of them wanted to fund its production. It was Lionsgate that finally agreed to distribute the film, but only after Coppola made a significant concession. He personally invested in a $15-20 million promotion campaign to land the film deal. Hollywood insiders had long feared Megalopolis would not appeal to an audience, and sadly, those fears were confirmed.
Coppola’s latest epic was doomed to sink in the crowded and challenging box office landscape with mixed critical reviews, questionable financial decisions, and a lack of studio support.
