Wild Robot, Megalopolis and Pro-Donald Trump Doc All Hit

This weekend's new arrivals at the box office make for an unusual, if not spicy, recipe.

The safest and most traditional ingredient is DreamWorks Animaton and Universal's family film The wild robotbased on Peter Brown's beloved best-selling book about a robot nicknamed ROZ who forms an unexpected bond with an orphaned gosling and other creatures after being shipwrecked on a deserted island.

The critically acclaimed CGI animated film is expected to open to $24 million domestically, although more optimistic forecasters say it could easily top $30 million. But it's understandable why the filmmakers are trying to temper expectations and suggest more than $20 million after last weekend Transformers Oneanother animated PG-rated film, trailed the chase by $5 million with a domestic opening of $24.6 million.

A story about the bridge between nature and technology, The wild robot Directed and written by Oscar nominee Chris Sanders (How to train your dragon, The Croods). The star-studded voice cast is led by Lupita Nyong'o, Kit Connor, Pedro Pascal, Catherine O'Hara, Bill Nighy and Stephanie Hsu, as well as pop icons Mark Hamill, Matt Berry and Ving Rhames.

The wild robot He is widely expected to win the Head of Holdovers at the weekend Transformers One And Beetlejuice Beetlejuice.

Where the other newcomers end up is a big question mark – especially Francis Ford Coppola's dystopian epic Megalopolis. Tracking suggests that the film starring Adam Driver may only gross $5 million to $7 million, which would be a financial disaster for the project that cost $120 million to produce before marketing.

As revered as Coppola is, no major Hollywood studio would commit to financing or distributing it Megalopolis in North America after seeing the film at an early buyer screening before its world premiere at the Cannes Film Festival, where it received mostly mediocre reviews. Giancarlo Esposito, Nathalie Emmanuel, Aubrey Plaza and Shia LaBeouf also star in Coppola's epic reimagining of the Roman Empire in contemporary New York City on the brink of ruin.

Lionsgate ultimately committed to releasing the film domestically, but will not have to cover distribution or marketing costs. Imax is also an advantage for Coppola, after the director shot parts of the film with Imax-certified cameras Megalopolis booked to play at select seasons in about 200 Imax theaters, or about half of the large format theaters.

Earlier this week, Coppola compared the film's plot to the current political situation in the US ahead of a screening Megalopolis at the New York Film Festival, suggesting that the 2024 presidential election could reflect the fall of Rome. His commentary was streamed in 65 theaters across the U.S. and Canada with support from Imax.

If Coppola takes aim at Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump's policies, moviegoers have the option to support him instead Justify Trumpthe latest documentary from conservative pundit and Trump supporter Dinesh D'Souza, which examines the obstacles the Republican nominee faces in his bid to retake the Oval Office.

D'Souza's documentary, made in collaboration with Trump, who personally produced the film, is expected to play in 500 to 700 theaters nationwide. Faith-based distributor SDG, home of Am I racist?is handling Justify Trump in North America. Highlights include D'Souza's interview with Trump after a would-be assassin's bullet hit Trump's ear.

Sony Jason Reitmans opens at the special box office Saturday evening – a love letter to the long-running NBC sketch comedy show Saturday Night Live – at five locations in New York and Los Angeles.