Dead on arrival: Francis Ford Coppola's 'Megalopolis' bombs at the box office

Director Francis Ford Coppola poses for photographers at the photo call for the film 'Megalopolis' at the 77th international film festival, Cannes, southern France, Friday, May 17, 2024. Photo: AP

The major studios wouldn't touch Megalopolis, the ambitious passion project from octogenarian Oscar-winner Francis Ford Coppola. Now it's clear why.

The US$120-mil film, which Coppola financed with his own money, is on track to open with a disastrous US$4mil in ticket sales this weekend from the US and Canada, according to industry estimates, making it a epic flop for the legendary director known for the Godfather trilogy.