MovieChat Forums > Megalopolis (2024) Discussion > deemed too “experimental” and “not good”...

deemed too “experimental” and “not good” enough for big budget marketing

posted 8 months ago by bozo_500 (13104)
29 replies | jump to latest

Francis Ford Coppola’s ‘Megalopolis’ Faces Uphill Battle for Mega Deal: “Just No Way to Position This Movie”

The self-funded epic is deemed too “experimental” and “not good” enough for the $100 million marketing spend envisioned by the legendary director.

https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-news/megalopolis-francis-ford-coppola-challenges-distribution-1235867556/

Not everyone was turned off. “I liked it enormously,” says one specialty label founder, who describes Megalopolis as a “very big film” that “has a real life. … How do you define commercial? You look at movie like Blade Runner and it became so much more commercial than on opening weekend.” Despite the vote of confidence, Megalopolis won’t find a home at his studio: “It takes time to find right match,” he says.

Another studio head, however, was far less charitable in his assessment: “It’s so not good, and it was so sad watching it. Anybody who puts P&A behind it, you’re going to lose money. This is not how Coppola should end his directing career.”

[–] johnmiller (3889) 8 months ago

The insanity of today's film business. No film, all business.

[–] emori (3661) 7 months ago

I mean you can finance yourself promotion. Good luck losing money.

It's not insanity. It's that another filmmaker makes boring movie no one wants to see. To satisfy his own ego. And wants other people to lose money promoting it. And no one want's to lose their money.

I would like to make my own vanity project. Can someone give me 100 millions on it? LOL.

It's enormous money. All those celebrities just used that studios are so rich that they will throw away millions when they ask. And now they face reality that you can't just spend money. You have to earn them. No? Finance it yourself. Which Coppola did. Thinking that they all just don''t understand his genius vision. Made boring turd. And now begs someone to spend 100 millions more to promote it. As if that will make anyone to come see it.

People who saw it - saw that this movie can't be sold to audience. That this is some some typical boring festival movie that usually gets like 7 millions at the box-office. 30 millions maximum. And there is no way any promotion will make people come to make it 100 millions.

[–] Poozer91 (605) 7 months ago

He can easily go to Apple TV. They just through $200,000,000 on three movies that did not make a profit. They seem to be fine with losing hundreds of millions.

[–] Valerian (-273) 7 months ago

Some actor said show business is 5% show and 95% business.

[–] TandyMan (11096) 7 months ago

heh that sounds about right

[–] Valerian (-273) 7 months ago

It was Michael Gross who said it when commenting about the possibility of another Tremors movie.

[–] e3e34ifj (1912) 8 months ago

I figure it's alot like Beau Is Afraid; very large movie made with technical expertise, but not easily marketable and will greatly divide audiences.

[–] Porsche911 (3598) 8 months ago

He broke the cardinal rule and used his own money. How he will burn.

[–] emori (3661) 7 months ago

I love it. The way he financed himself this turd and now begs someone to put money on promotion. Well - finance promotion yourself too, Francis.

I like this new trend. First Jennifer Lopez finances herself her own Vanity Project. Because no one would. Now Coppola. This is what should happen every time some celebrity wants to make shitty projects thinking popcorn studios "just don't get their art". Well spend your own money and lose them then.

What I get here is that Coppola shoot some movie that pretends to be sci-fi apocalypse or whatever. But in reality it's some boring pretensions crap no one will watch. And everyone from studio sees it. That they can't market it to become interesting for public. So no one will touch that turd. And those streaming services who probably don't have money now to throw it away like they used to.

[–] johnmiller (3889) 7 months ago

You're obviously triggered.

[–] emori (3661) 7 months ago

Why would I watch those stupid marvel movies? What a childish behavior and inability to have an argument.

I like good movie. But every boring low budget crap does not automatically mean that it's a good movie.

And no - every expensive vanity project from directors who made good movies 30 years ago does not equal good movie too.

Professional people from the industry who saw it - said it's bad. But some people on the internet "know better". LOL. Well - you all free to watch it 10 times when it will come out, to support Coppola. Maybe it will help him to make 2 millions.

[–] johnmiller (3889) 7 months ago

You "like good movie." 🤣

[–] emori (3661) 7 months ago

Add to chart that this movie has no stars.

The film stars Adam Driver, Aubrey Plaza, Giancarlo Esposito, Laurence Fishburne, Chloe Fineman, Dustin Hoffman, Shia LaBeouf, Nathalie Emmanuel, Jason Schwartzman and Jon Voight.

And the premise is "In New York, a woman is divided between loyalties to her father, who has a classical view of society, and her lover, who is more progressive and ready for the future".

How on earth Coppola think anyone can go to this movie? To see mega-stars Aubrey Plaza and Nathalie Emmanuel? Or watch 90-years old grandpas Giancarlo Esposito, Laurence Fishburne, Dustin Hoffman and Jon Voight?

Did Coppola thought that cancelled abuser Shia LaBeouf is still some sort of box-office draw?

[–] bozo_500 (13104) 7 months ago

Kylo Ren

[–] emori (3661) 7 months ago

He ain't box-office draw.

[–] bozo_500 (13104) 7 months ago

Not yet, he tryin tho 😄

[–] emori (3661) 7 months ago

When he makes good movie - it can make some money. When movie is meh - it flops. He is not movie star.

They really have NO ONE to market this movie around and put on posters and every interview. Half of cast are some old farts who used to be popular 40 years ago. And Adam Driver and that supporting girl from Game of Thrones and Fast movies are lead. The one who played Daenerys servant/friend. She is pretty. And that's all that is in her. She is not star and lead actress. She just always hangs out in the background. No one knows her. Not many regular people even know Adam Driver.

Even Chris Pratt has trouble being recognized on street. There was a Billie on the Street segment where Chris and host were running streets of New York. And regular people had no idea who he is. Even with all those box-office hits. So no one is gonna say: "Oh, Adam Driver has new movie. I must come see it".

[–] bozo_500 (13104) 7 months ago

The modern day 'movie stars' aren't anywhere near as household name famous as the ones who came around in the pre SM era of the 90s/00s (Clooney, Pitt, Crowe, DiCaprio, Kate Winslet, Jude Law etc). the only ones who come to mind are The Rock, ScarJo, DCraig, Margot Robbie, and maybe Cumberbatch as bone fide stars to have emerged past 20years who can headline movies/name above title and cause a crowd wherever they go (approaching levels of mega stars like Pitt Cruise etc). The rest like the Chris's Pratt Pine Evans (Hemsworth is probably too famous to be not recognised) , Cavill, Fassbender, Hardy, Holland, Brie Larson, even Jason Momoa prob have difficulty being recognised in non movie environments with non movie buffs not even knowing who they are/scratching their heads if they see others making a fuss

[–] [deleted] 7 months ago

When's the last time FFC released a movie that people actually wanted to see and did well at the box office... Dracula back in 1992? I wasn't even alive back then! It's been 32 years since his last hit.

He's a big name director who has directed some of the most acclaimed movies of all time but that doesn't mean people will give him hundreds of millions to piss down the drain.

[–] bozo_500 (13104) 7 months ago

He should go to his good pals George Lucas and Steven Spielberg, maybe they could help him out with some promotion get some publicity going, (so long as it doesn't cost them much lol)

[–] TheHardSell (1709) 7 months ago

Steven Spielberg struggle in the same regards. His films no longer make money. Even under Amblin Entertainment or Amblin Partners banner this will never recoup its $100M budget and $50 mill marketing.

[–] TandyMan (11096) 7 months ago

I'm sure it's a turkey. That last film from an aged director is always a turkey. But i'm glad he self funded one last passion project in the director's chair. What's the point of having money and acclaim if you can't use it. Despite being a huge fan even i'm unlikely to bother going to see whatever this is in the theater.

[–] HarlemEagle42 (17733) 7 months ago

All of his time trashing the superhero genre and he cannot even find a studio to release what sounds like an overly ambitious flop. But I’d still like to see it at some point.

[–] TheHardSell (1709) 7 months ago

It will pop up on Prime around X-mas in a 10 film package deal they, Amazon, paid $1M for.