It’s no secret Francis Ford Coppola’s “Megalopolis” is a box office bomb.
In its third week of release, “Megalopolis” was stripped of most of its theaters and was down to 227 screens. Total weekend take was $230,000.
“Megalopolis” has made now just $7.3 million. With a reported cost of $120 million, the sci fi film — with very negative reviews — could not have done worse.
Coppola says he put at least $100 million of his own money into the picture. That money is gone into the ether. It may be the biggest failure of any film ever, surpassing usual punch lines like “Ishtar” and “Heaven’s Gate.”
Whatever Coppola has done, his reputation remains intact as a superior filmmaker. Last night both “The Godfather” and “The Godfather Part 2” were playing in competing cable channels here in New York. They are extraordinary, and nothing can take away from that.
Where can “Megalopolis” go from here? This week Lions Gate will either pull it entirely or leave it in or two venues. The movie will go to streaming where someone will watch it (me). Maybe it will grow a following.
