Francis Ford Coppola‘s ‘Megalopolis‘ debuted with a 50% rating on Rotten Tomatoes. The film has been described by some as a truly insufferable mess, while others call it the crazy work of an ambitious madman. It received a 7-minute standing ovation at Cannes, along with some boos. Coppola has already confirmed that he spent 40 years trying to get it made.
During the Megalopolis press conference at Cannes 2024, Ford Coppola said, “There’s so many people who, when they die, say, Oh, I wish I’d done this.” “But when I die, I’ll say I got to do this, and I got to see my daughter win an Oscar, and… I got to make every movie I wanted to make.”
Ford Coppola added, “I’ll be here in 20 years. If there’s a way I can make the film a little better, I will try. But I know I’m done with it because I’ve already started writing another film. That’s how I know I’m finished.”
Ford Coppola has no regrets about spending $120 million of his own money to finance ‘Megalopolis’. He said, “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 follows the destruction of a metropolis which brings clashing visions of the future. An architectural idealist (Adam Driver) and the Mayor (Giancarlo Esposito) debate on whether to embrace the future & build a utopia or take a business-as-usual rebuild strategy, replete with corruption and power brokering. In between their struggle is the mayor’s socialite daughter Julia (Nathalie Emmanuel), a restless young woman who grew up around power and is looking for meaning in her life. (Watch the trailer)
The film is written and directed by Ford Coppola, who also serves as a producer alongside Michael Bederman. The film is being praised as Ford Coppola’s ‘best film yet.’ Developed over 40 years, Coppola has invested $120M of his own money into the project.
The film stars Driver as Caesar, Forest Whitaker, Emmanuel, Jon Voight, Laurence Fishburne, Aubrey Plaza, Jason Schwartzman, Shia LaBeouf, Talia Shire, Grace VanderWaal, Kathryn Hunter, James Remar, Chloe Fineman, Madeleine Gardella, and Isabelle Kusman.
‘Megalopolis’ had its world premiere at the 77th Cannes Film Festival on May 17, 2024. The theater release date is TBA.
