Godfather director says he’s ‘broke,’ sells private island for $1.8M following film flop Updated: Nov. 09, 2025, 10:39 a.m. Published: Nov. 09, 2025, 10:39 a.m. Francis Ford Coppola is welcomes guests to a screening of his film 'Megalopolis' at the Count Basie Center for the Arts in Red Bank, NJ on Sunday, July 20, 2025. Dave Hernandez | For NJ Advance By Glenn Epps | For lehighvalleylive.com After losing millions of dollars from his ambitious sci-fi film, the director of Megalopolis , Francis Ford Coppola, has resorted to selling another one of his properties — a private island in Belize — worth $1.8 million in an effort to recoup his losses. Known as Coral Caye, the 2.5-acre island is totally self-sufficient with water tanks and solar panels, and is an 8-mile, 25-minute boat ride from the mainland. Coppola , who directed “The Godfather” films and “Apocalypse Now,” has leased the island for the past nine years, and his tenancy ended last month, according to information from brokerage Corcoran. The firm’s Peter McLean handled the listing, according to a statement by Mansion Global . “Mr. Coppola was very sad to see his lease come to an end,” McLean told Mansion Global over email. “He treasured his time on this island paradise and it was a special place for him.” He visited the island every three to six months, McLean added. The buyer, according to a source, is a Guatemalan businessman who plans to convert the island into a Maldives-style resort where the guest rooms are situated both on dry land and over the coral reef surrounding the island on extended private walkways. Coppola’s decision to sell comes after the Oscar winner spent $120 million of his own money to get the sci-fi film, which bombed at the box office, only grossing $14.4 million worldwide, over the finish line in 2024. The director struggled to find American distributors. The film screened in Red Bank in July. It stars Adam Driver, Shia LaBeouf, Aubrey Plaza, Nathalie Emmanuel and Jon Voight. Driver plays Cesar, a genius artist who seeks to leap into a utopian, idealistic future, and his opposition, Mayor Franklyn Cicero, who remains committed to a regressive status quo, perpetuating greed, special interests, and partisan warfare. The shoot was chaotic, The Hollywood Reporter noted in May 2024, with key creative talent quitting or being fired along the way and other news outlets reporting that Coppola made unwanted advances toward some actresses. When he appeared on an episode of the Tetragrammaton podcast in March, Coppola revealed he’s broke. “I don’t have any money because I invested all the money that I borrowed to make Megalopolis,” he said. “It’s basically gone. I think it’ll come back over 15 or 20 years, but I don’t have it now.” Previously, the “Apocalypse Now” director agreed to sell his one-of-a-kind F.P. Journe watch, worth at least $1 million, to help with his financial loss , according to Forbes . Glenn Epps is an award-winning reporter covering business, real estate, government and breaking news in New Jersey and Pennsylvania for Advance Local Media. Glenn previously served as Managing Editor at the… more gepps@lehighvalleylive.com If you purchase a product or register for an account through a link on our site, we may receive compensation. By using this site, you consent to our User Agreement and agree that your clicks, interactions, and personal information may be collected, recorded, and/or stored by us and social media and other third-party partners in accordance with our Privacy Policy. Footer Navigation Source: https://www.nj.com/entertainment/2025/11/godfather-director-says-hes-broke-sells-private-island-for-18m-following-film-flop.html