In a weekend box office showdown, Francis Ford Coppola’s highly anticipated, self-financed epic “Megalopolis” failed to find its footing, while Chris Sanders’ family-friendly DreamWorks Animation feature, “The Wild Robot,” soared to resounding success.
The North American box office numbers reveal a stark contrast: “The Wild Robot,” an adaptation of Peter Brown’s beloved bestseller, raked in $35 million in ticket sales. Expectations were high, fueled by rave reviews from critics praising the heartfelt narrative of a shipwrecked robot who becomes the caretaker of an orphan gosling. The audience reception mirrored this enthusiasm, awarding the film an A CinemaScore, suggesting a promising, sustained performance for Universal Pictures.
“The Wild Robot” isn’t merely a weekend wonder; it’s poised for a lucrative, long-term run. Senior media analyst for Comscore, Paul Dergarabedian, draws parallels with Pixar’s “Elemental,” another original family film that enjoyed a prolonged presence at the box office. “Elemental,” which debuted with a modest $30 million, eventually amassed close to $500 million globally. Dergarabedian believes “The Wild Robot” might be on a similar trajectory, highlighting the revitalized appeal of family films within the current box office climate. This year alone, the family film genre, spearheaded by “Inside Out 2,” is projected to hit $6 billion worldwide — a figure that harkens back to pre-pandemic heights, according to film consultant David A. Gross.
In stark contrast is “Megalopolis,” a film Coppola began envisioning in the late 1970s as a grand artistic endeavor. Despite its intricate storyline set in modern-day New York, resembling a Roman epic, the film garnered a lackluster $4 million. This outcome is particularly sobering given its production cost of $120 million, bankrolled entirely by Coppola.
The legendary director, 85, has consistently emphasized that his priority was never financial gain. Instead, he views “Megalopolis” as a profound, personal narrative on human potential. “Everyone’s so worried about money,” Coppola commented during an interview with The Associated Press. “I say: Give me less money and give me more friends.”
Despite its poor financial performance, “Megalopolis” showcases a star-studded cast, including Adam Driver, Nathalie Emmanuel, and Aubrey Plaza. Premiering at the Cannes Film Festival, the film saw mixed reviews, and audiences responded with a disheartening D+ CinemaScore. Most major studios passed on the film after Cannes, leaving Lionsgate to step in as the distributor, albeit for a fee. Coppola also took on the bulk of the $15 million marketing expenses. The film played across about 200 IMAX screens, contributing $1.8 million to its overall gross.
Adding to the varied weekend box office landscape was Tim Burton’s “Beetlejuice Beetlejuice,” which after topping the charts for three consecutive weeks, fell to second place with $16 million. This Warner Bros. sequel to the 1988 classic has garnered a formidable $250 million domestically in just four weeks, driven by the star power of Michael Keaton and Winona Ryder.
The third spot was occupied by “Transformers One,” a prequel helmed by Paramount and headlined by Chris Hemsworth and Brian Tyree Henry.
. The film, which had an underwhelming debut last weekend, saw an additional $9.3 million in receipts.
Outperforming Coppola’s film was the Indian Telugu-language action film “Devara: Part 1,” which opened with $5.1 million, securing the fourth position. Jason Reitman’s “Saturday Night,” a tribute to the legendary sketch-comedy show’s inaugural night in 1975, also debuted this weekend, albeit on a limited scale. The film launched impressively in five theatres across New York and Los Angeles, grossing $265,000, or approximately $53,000 per theatre. “Saturday Night” is set for a nationwide roll-out in two weeks.
The weekend’s estimated ticket sales for theatrical releases in the U.S. and Canada, per Comscore, are as follows:
1. “The Wild Robot” – $35 million
2. “Beetlejuice Beetlejuice” – $16 million
3. “Transformers One” – $9.3 million
4. “Devara: Part 1” – $5.1 million
5. “Speak No Evil” – $4.3 million
6. “Megalopolis” – $4 million
7. “Deadpool & Wolverine” – $2.7 million
8. “My Old Ass” – $2.2 million
9. “Never Let Go” – $2.2 million
10. “The Substance” – $1.8 million
As the detailed figures emerge, it becomes evident that while Coppola’s “Megalopolis” may serve as a monumental personal journey, it’s “The Wild Robot” that captures both hearts and box office glory.
