Family Film ‘The Wild Robot’ Takes Over Box Office, ‘Megalopolis’ Struggles
In a surprising turn of events at the weekend box office, the highly anticipated film “Megalopolis” by Francis Ford Coppola failed to resonate with audiences, while the heartwarming DreamWorks Animation movie “The Wild Robot” captured the top spot.
“The Wild Robot,” directed by Chris Sanders and based on Peter Brown’s beloved book, exceeded expectations by debuting with an impressive $35 million in ticket sales across theaters in the U.S. and Canada. This success was no surprise given the glowing reviews from critics and the heartwarming story of a shipwrecked robot raising an orphaned gosling. Audiences echoed the critical acclaim, awarding the film an A CinemaScore, setting the stage for a potentially long and profitable run for the Universal Pictures release.
Paul Dergarabedian, a senior media analyst for Comscore, pointed out that “The Wild Robot” could follow a similar trajectory to Pixar’s “Elemental,” which started with a modest opening but ultimately grossed close to $500 million worldwide. Family films like “Inside Out 2” have been driving box office success this year, with projections indicating that the genre could reach $6 billion globally by 2024, returning to pre-pandemic levels.
On the other end of the spectrum, “Megalopolis” struggled to find an audience, debuting with just $4 million in ticket sales. Coppola’s ambitious project, envisioned as a modern-day Roman epic set in New York, fell short of expectations despite the director’s personal investment of $120 million. Critics have had mixed reactions to the film since its premiere at the Cannes Film Festival, with audiences giving it a disappointing D+ CinemaScore.
Despite its financial underperformance, Coppola remained steadfast in his commitment to the film as a personal statement rather than a commercial endeavor. The 85-year-old director emphasized the importance of artistic vision over financial gain, stating, “Give me less money and give me more friends.”
While “Megalopolis” faced challenges, other films continued to thrive at the box office. Tim Burton’s “Beetlejuice Beetlejuice” slipped to second place after three weeks at the top, accumulating $16 million in its fourth weekend. The Warner Bros. sequel to the 1988 classic has now grossed $250 million domestically in just a month of release.
In third place was “Transformers One,” the prequel to the popular franchise, starring Chris Hemsworth and Brian Tyree Henry. After a slower start last weekend, the Paramount release rebounded with $9.3 million in its second weekend.
Surprisingly, the Indian Telugu-language action film “Devara: Part 1” outperformed “Megalopolis,” pulling in $5.1 million in its opening weekend, securing the fourth spot at the box office.
Adding diversity to the lineup was Jason Reitman’s “Saturday Night,” a nostalgic portrayal of the iconic sketch-comedy show’s debut in 1975. The film premiered in select theaters in New York and Los Angeles, garnering $265,000 and an impressive per-theater average of $53,000. “Saturday Night” is set to expand nationwide in the coming weeks.
As the box office landscape continues to evolve, with family films leading the way and a mix of genres attracting audiences, the industry remains dynamic and full of surprises. While some films like “The Wild Robot” soar to success, others like “Megalopolis” face challenges in finding their footing in a competitive market. Ultimately, the diversity of offerings provides audiences with a range of choices and experiences at the movies.