Francis Ford Coppola spent decades developing his dream idea of adapting the Catilinarian conspiracy of 63 BC Rome to a futuristic, dystopian New York City, until he had the script in just the right shape… for absolutely no studio to be willing to take the risk of producing it. The writer-director of The Godfather films, a five-time Academy Award winner, and everyone was like, “Sorry, Francis, this is an offer we can and must refuse.” So Coppola spent $120 million of his own money and Megalopolis was released in theaters last year… if only people had gone to see it. As everyone but Coppola predicted, Megalopolis bombed at the box office, bringing in only $14M total after a $4M opening weekend. Well, after the movie-going public said they didn’t want to see Megalopolis in theaters, Coppola is rebutting by declaring he doesn’t want people to see Megalopolis at home. So what then, no one will see Megalopolis at all? Yes! I mean no! Apparently, Coppola is “taking the film on tour” to screen at different theaters:
Francis Ford Coppola got a standing ovation at the Dolby Theatre on April 26. He got the AFI Life Achievement Award, heartfelt tributes from the likes of Steven Spielberg, Harrison Ford and George Lucas, and, toward the end of the night, a glowing speech from Adam Driver, who hailed Megalopolis — the legendary director’s $120 million self-financed, genre-bending epic that stars Driver and pulled in just $14 million during its blink-and-you-missed-it theatrical run in the fall — as “a piece of art.”
What Coppola didn’t get — and apparently doesn’t want — is a distribution deal that lets anyone actually see Megalopolis on a home screen. It’s not on Netflix, Amazon, iTunes or anywhere else with a play button. It can’t even be found on DVD. For all the hosannas recently lavished on it, Megalopolis has become the most celebrated invisible movie of the year.
There is, it turns out, a (somewhat) logical explanation for the disappearing act. One of the perks of spending $120 million of your own money on a movie is getting to decide exactly how — and where — it gets seen. And according to sources close to Coppola, the last thing the 86-year-old auteur wants is for Megalopolis to be watched on a television set.
“He wants it to play in theaters, the way it was intended,” says one insider.
So, instead of a digital release, Coppola is taking the film on tour. Days after the AFI tribute, he boarded a flight to Boston for a sold-out screening at the Coolidge Theater. Later this month, he’s headed to Detroit.
It may not be the most efficient way to earn back that $120 million, but as Driver reminded the AFI crowd, commerce was never the point. “Believe me, I was there,” he said. “There was no talk about how we could make this more commercial.”
I’m no accountant, but I do work with some, and one thing they always say is, “It’s not how much a tour makes, it’s how much it costs.” So however much money these new (allegedly) sold out screenings bring in, I’m wondering how much flights, hotels and entourage will eat out of that extra scratch. Just sayin’, in order to really start making back the remaining $106M he spent on the budget, Francis is gonna need to schedule A LOT of stops on this tour. (What tour? The Megalopolis world tour.) Ultimately, though, I’m stumped on the strategy here. Coppola is not a newbie; he knows films are made available for consumers to watch at home after a theatrical release. Especially in this era of streaming, letting people watch from the comfort of their homes could have been a key way for Megalopolis to build an audience. Even if it started for some as a hate-watch, at least it might’ve gotten eyes on the film. But this, “Pay to see it in the theater, or not at all!” feels like more of the “you just didn’t get it!” energy Coppola brought to his Razzie acceptance speech.
So instead of doing a struggle tour, how about Francis starting movie tariff negotiations with one of Trump’s Ambassadors to Hollywood, Megalopolis cast member Jon Voight?
Photos credit: Avalon.red, Cover Images
Sounds like the tantrums of a toddler. He must get what he wants, the way he wants, when he wants.
He’s been shielded by his immense wealth and professional reputation for so long that he has no sense of humility or patience, or any appreciation for how the public receive and enjoy films now.
I could and likely would watch this movie in the comfort of my home.There are plenty of beautifully filmed, written and acted movies that I have appreciated in theater and at home (on my large TV). Conclave is the most recent one that comes to mind.
Not sure why he insists on the public seeing it in only in theaters unless it’s simply to make some money back.
It’s a vanity project from someone who came of age when movies didn’t have to compete with TV.
My LG OLED TV is superior to any movie theater screen. I’ll die on this hill.
Right? I could truly enjoy any film on my TV.
It’s a great picture TV I’ll give LG that, but the UI is garbage! There are so many pop-ups and reminders and reboot requests. I put a Roku on mine to override their sh-tty smart TV and it’s so much better!
-edit- and the picture is better than the theater. My son saw The Batman in theaters and said he could make out so much more detail on our TV. Still this is the last LG I’m buying
Old guy wants things to be like when he was younger.
I mean, I get that it probably looks and sounds better in the theatre, and it would be nice if theatre-going became more common again. However, most people can’t afford $60 for two people to see a movie at all, let alone to be able to see everything that way.
His demands are not so much “I’m an artist” talk as they are out-of-touch rich person talk.
He did that with “Apocalypse Now Redux” back in the 90s…THIS AIN’T THAT! He seems to be MIRED in toxic ego & hubris and it shows in his art
Hold up, did he still get an award after all those harassment allegations?
It’s ok, Frankie, most people don’t want to see it at home either…or anywhere else… Godfather I & 2, and Bram Stoker’s Dracula are still among my favorite movies.
The Coolidge Corner Theater is a great independent movie theater that’s been around since 1933, but its main screen only seats about 400. I remember when they had the Megalopolis screening last year. The tickets were an average of $50 because there was a Q&A with FFC afterwards – so, that’s about $20,000. Even if he shared nothing with the theater, it’s still a tough way for an 86-year old to recoup 120 million.
The movie sounded like garbage. I’m not going to watch in the theater or at home. Why waste your time on something like that?
Hm, interesting. Megalopolis is actually on Netflix in Germany, so there must be some kind of deal he made with Netflix…
Give the audience what they want I guess?
We don’t want to watch it, ok you can’t.
Also hard agree with all the much more eloquent comments about his ego and attitude. Living in a bubble is dangerous.
I agree, Megalopolis shouldn’t be seen at home, but let’s be clear: it shouldn’t be seen at all.
Channeling my best Statler and Waldorf: Joke is on him, no one wanted to see it in the theater, either. Bwahahaha
It rates a 4.7 on IMDB and the user reviews are scathing.