****

Francis Ford Coppola’s ambitious project, "Megalopolis," funded entirely from his own pockets, has revealed why major studios were reluctant to support it. The film is set to launch with an estimated $4 million in ticket sales this weekend across the US and Canada, according to industry estimates. For the 85-year-old director, acclaimed for cinematic masterpieces such as the "Godfather" trilogy and "Apocalypse Now," this marks a significant disappointment.

With a hefty budget of $120 million, Coppola took on both production and marketing expenses for the 2-hour, 18-minute epic. Compelled by a decades-old obsession, he even sold part of his wine business to bring this satirical science fiction retelling of Roman history to life. Despite its long-awaited premiere at the Cannes Film Festival in May, which garnered a standing ovation, reviews have been a mixed bag. Some critics lauded its ambition, while others found it chaotic. Comparatively, The Times' Joshua Rothkopf likened its narrative to Tom Wolfe's "The Bonfire of the Vanities," portraying a tumultuous New York City gripped by money, power, and race tensions.

Audience reactions, however, were far less forgiving. CinemaScore reported a disappointing "D+" rating, indicating a widespread rejection from viewers. Compounding the movie’s struggles, Lionsgate, which is distributing "Megalopolis" without bearing any financial risk, faced backlash over a trailer featuring fabricated quotes from critics. Following the incident, the trailer was quickly withdrawn and an apology issued.

Lionsgate, already seeing a string of failures this year with films like "Borderlands" and "The Crow," participated in the promotion but left Coppola to shoulder the brunt of the financial burden. Meanwhile, Universal and DreamWorks Animation's "The Wild Robot" dominated the weekend box office with a projected $35 million domestic debut, surpassing expectations. Based on Peter Brown's beloved children's book, the animated film received rave reviews, earning an "A" CinemaScore and a 98% "fresh" rating on Rotten Tomatoes.

In second place, Warner Bros.'s sequel "Beetlejuice Beetlejuice" continued its successful run, racking up $16 million over the weekend, pushing its domestic total to $250 million. Amidst mixed efforts in the film industry, Coppola's bold gamble on "Megalopolis" demonstrates the challenging landscape even for legendary directors.