Francis Ford Coppola and Kevin Costner’s Twisted Fates May Align Yet Again, One Depressing Prediction About ‘Megalopolis’ Proves It
- Francis Ford Coppola’s ‘Megalopolis’ is reportedly set to earn only $5 million on opening day.
- The film faced controversy and poor reviews despite its huge budget of $120 million.
- Kevin Costner’s ‘Horizon: Chapter 1’ also struggled, debuting at $4.1 million with a $100 million budget.
In the world of filmmaking, few names are as iconic as Francis Ford Coppola. From The Godfather saga to Apocalypse Now, Coppola’s films are like the crème de la crème of cinema—pure classic. But now, the maestro is hitting a high note that’s rather off-key. His latest opus, Megalopolis, is struggling to find its rhythm at the box office.
Megalopolis, which is set to hit theaters on September 27, 2024, has already faced more than its share of hurdles. From on-set controversies to lukewarm reviews, this film has had quite the rocky road.
And now, the major twist is that it’s not just Coppola feeling the heat. Kevin Costner’s self-financed film Horizon Chapter 1 has also faced a similarly grim fate. It seems these big-budget dreams are coming true—just not in the way anyone hoped.
Francis Ford Coppola’s Costly Passion Project Facing Rough Waters
Francis Ford Coppola’s Megalopolis was always intended to be a grand statement. With its sprawling budget and ambitious vision, the film was his passion project. Unfortunately, passion doesn’t always translate into box office gold.
According to The Hollywood Reporter, this decade-long dream project with a hefty $120 million price tag, is expected to open with just $5 million in domestic ticket sales. If these numbers prove accurate, it will be a dismal performance for such a big-budget movie.
Despite a promising start at the Cannes Film Festival, where it was met with tepid reactions, the film’s fortunes haven’t improved. Critics have been less than kind, with Rotten Tomatoes giving it a lackluster 54%.
Reviews describe it as a muddled, overstuffed mess that feels more like someone’s tangled dream diary than a blockbuster movie. It’s as if the film aimed for the stars but ended up lost in a fog of confusion. On top of everything, Coppola has faced a cloud of controversy, with allegations of inappropriate behavior on set only adding to the film’s woes.
With these distractions and the film’s already rocky reception, Megalopolis finds itself in a tough spot. The opening weekend will be a make-or-break moment. Will Coppola’s bold bet pay off, or will it flop, leaving audiences to ponder where things went awry?
Megalopolis and Horizon Chapter 1 Share the Same Grim Fate
Before Lionsgate came to the rescue, Megalopolis was turned down by major studios left and right. Despite Francis Ford Coppola’s legendary status, no one was ready to take a gamble on his grand vision. It was only through his own funding and Lionsgate’s last-minute help that the film finally hit theaters.
This feels a lot like Kevin Costner’s Horizon: Chapter 1, which also had a big budget and faced a rough release after being self-financed. It’s like déjà vu for these ambitious, self-funded projects struggling to make a splash. Costner’s film, like Coppola’s, had a budget hovering around $100 million and faced similar rejection from Hollywood.
Opening with just $4.1 million (via Variety), Horizon: Chapter 1 was a financial letdown despite its high stakes. Now, with Megalopolis projected to perform similarly, it seems these grand cinematic dreams are aligning in a way neither Coppola nor Costner expected. For now, it appears their fates are twisted by more than just bad luck.
Megalopolis is set to be released this September 27th.
