Francis Ford Coppola’s grand project “Megalopolis” faced a disappointing opening weekend at the box office, while the animated film “Wild Robot” by DreamWorks Animation triumphed as the top-grossing movie. “Wild Robot,” directed by Chris Sanders, based on Peter Brown’s popular book, exceeded expectations by earning $35 million in ticket sales across theaters in the U.S. and Canada. The heartwarming tale of a shipwrecked robot raising a gosling received glowing reviews from critics and audiences, leading to an A CinemaScore and projecting a successful run for Universal Pictures.
In contrast, Coppola’s ambitious film “Megalopolis,” a modern Roman epic set in New York City, debuted with a modest $4 million in ticket sales. Despite Coppola investing $120 million of his own money into the film, it failed to resonate with audiences, receiving a D+ CinemaScore. Coppola, however, prioritized his artistic vision over financial success, emphasizing the importance of creating a personal statement about human potential rather than chasing profits.
The 85-year-old filmmaker remained unfazed by the financial implications of “Megalopolis,” emphasizing his preference for meaningful connections over monetary gains. Although the movie faced challenges after Cannes, it found a distributor in Lionsgate, with most of the marketing expenses covered by Coppola. Starring Adam Driver, Nathalie Emmanuel, and Aubrey Plaza, “Megalopolis” also screened in approximately 200 IMAX theaters, contributing $1.8 million to its box office earnings.
After a successful run topping the box office, Tim Burton’s “Beetlejuice Beetlejuice” slipped to the second position, collecting $16 million in its fourth weekend. The Warner Bros. sequel to the iconic 1988 film has grossed $250 million domestically since its release. “Transformers One,” the prequel to the Transformers series starring Chris Hemsworth and Brian Tyree Henry, secured the third spot with around $9 million in its second weekend.
Another notable release was Jason Reitman’s “Saturday Night,” a nostalgic portrayal of the debut night of the legendary sketch-comedy show in 1975. Premiering in New York and Los Angeles, the film generated $265,000 in revenue, averaging an impressive $53,000 per theater. “Saturday Night” is slated for a nationwide release in the coming weeks alongside the 50th season of the NBC series.