Kevin Costner’s Horizon: An American Saga and Francis Ford Coppola’s Megalopolis have a lot in common if fans come to think of it. Both films have been in development for decades and both directors invested huge money into the films. Costner’s film was released on Friday and it could only earn $11 million, giving clear signs of bombing at the box office.
Costner’s film received harsh critical reviews that affected its box office performance. Coppola’s Megalopolis also received a mixed response from critics after its Cannes premiere, suggesting that a similar fate awaits this film as well.
Kevin Costner’s Horizon Bombs At Box Office, Raising Concerns For Francis Ford Coppola
Kevin Costner‘s Horizon: An American Saga was a project that has been in development for 30 years. Costner earlier confirmed to GQ that he had spent $38 million of his own money on the project. Despite all his efforts, the $100 million two-part project may push Costner into a loss.
The film’s Chapter 1 was released on Friday and debuted at only $4.1 million at the domestic box office (via Deadline). THR reported that the film’s estimated collection over the weekend was $11 million (not including the overseas numbers).
The disappointing numbers are also indicative of the critical reception of the film. While audiences had a little more leniency toward the Western flick, critics found the storyline to be too complex. The film had a dismal Rotten Tomatoes score of 40% and a slightly better Metacritic score of 47/100.
The fate of the film raises concerns for Francis Ford Coppola‘s new film, Megalopolis. With a low Rotten Tomatoes score of 52% after its Cannes premiere, the film now requires a miracle to prosper at the box office.
Coppola invested an even bigger $120 million from his own pocket into the project. He revealed to GQ that he was determined for the film to see the light of day and spent his hard-earned money from his winery empire on the film. If the film fails to take off in theaters like Horizon, Coppola might face a huge loss.
Francis Ford Coppola Doesn’t Regret Spending His $120M on Megalopolis
While his film is facing a financial backlash, Francis Ford Coppola doesn’t regret making his dream movie a bit. Speaking at the Cannes Press Conference, he revealed that he put the risk in the movie knowing that he had no problems with the financials.
He shared that his children had a career of their own and didn’t need his fortune. He revealed that he didn’t want any regrets about not doing the things he loved when he died. Coppola shared (via Vanity Fair):
I put the risk in the movie. I have no problems with the financials. My children, without exceptions, have wonderful careers without a fortune. They don’t need a fortune. It’s how I felt the film should be, and I was paying for it…. There are so many people who, when they die, say ‘I wish I had done that.’ When I die, I’ll say, ‘I got to do that.’
The film includes an ensemble cast including Adam Driver, Giancarlo Esposito, Nathalie Emmanuel, Aubrey Plaza, Shia LaBeouf, and Jon Voight. Megalopolis has reached a deal with IMAX for exclusive screening irrespective of the distributor (via Variety).
The film is set to be released in theaters on September 27, 2024.
