Francis Ford Coppola’s long-awaited film “Megalopolis” has finally secured a U.S. distributor after a challenging search. Lionsgate Studios will release the film in theaters on September 27, following its polarizing premiere at the Cannes Film Festival. The film, directed by the 85-year-old Coppola and starring Adam Driver, will also have an IMAX release, as confirmed by IMAX CEO Rich Gelfond during Cannes.
The journey to find a distributor for “Megalopolis” has been fraught with difficulties. Despite the film’s high-profile premiere at Cannes, it struggled to attract a U.S. distributor. The film had already secured distribution deals for several overseas markets, including the United Kingdom, France, Germany, Italy, and Spain. However, the U.S. market proved to be a tougher nut to crack.
“Megalopolis” is a nearly 50-year passion project for Coppola, who began writing it in 1983. The film, which cost a reported $120 million to make, was partially funded by the sale of a significant portion of Coppola’s wine empire. The film follows the story of an idealist architect, played by Adam Driver, who clashes with the city’s corrupt leader, portrayed by Giancarlo Esposito, in a fictional city following a disaster. Coppola has described the film as a “Roman epic set in modern America.”
The film’s journey to distribution was not without controversy. Reports emerged of Coppola’s alleged inappropriate behavior on set, including claims that he tried to kiss topless female extras to “get them in the mood.” Coppola denied these allegations, stating that he is “not touchy-feely.” Additionally, the production process was reportedly tumultuous, with Coppola firing nearly all the visual effects team in December 2022.
Despite these challenges, Lionsgate Motion Picture Group chair Adam Fogelson expressed excitement about bringing “Megalopolis” to theatrical audiences, praising Coppola as a “legend.” The film’s IMAX release is also a significant milestone, as Coppola used camera technology that would allow certain sequences to fill an entire IMAX screen.
The film’s reception at Cannes was mixed, with some critics praising its imagination and relevance, while others found it difficult to position for a wide audience. One studio head described it as “so not good,” while another called it “batsh*t crazy.” The film currently holds a 52% score on Rotten Tomatoes based on 65 critic reviews.
In addition to its U.S. release, “Megalopolis” has sold to key independent buyers in Europe’s top five territories. Deals have been made with Constantin Film for Germany and all German-speaking territories, Eagle Pictures for Italy, Tripictures for Spain, and Entertainment Film Distributors Limited for the U.K. A deal with Le Pacte for France was announced last week.
These deals are for theatrical rights, with TV and VOD rights held back by Coppola’s team, potentially paving the way for a global streaming deal in the future. The international rollout is unlikely to begin before the U.S. release.
The official logline for the film reads: “Megalopolis is a Roman Epic fable set in an imagined Modern America. The City of New Rome must change, causing conflict between Cesar Catilina (Adam Driver), a genius artist who seeks to leap into a utopian, idealistic future, and his opposition, Mayor Franklyn Cicero (Giancarlo Esposito), who remains committed to a regressive status quo, perpetuating greed, special interests, and partisan warfare. Torn between them is socialite Julia Cicero (Nathalie Emmanuel), the mayor’s daughter, whose love for Cesar has divided her loyalties, forcing her to discover what she truly believes humanity deserves.”
Written, produced, and directed by Coppola, “Megalopolis” is produced by Fred Roos, Barry Hirsch, and Michael Bederman, with executive producers Anahid Nazarian, Barrie Osbourne, and Darren Demetre. Coppola is one of a handful of directors to have won the Cannes Palme d’Or twice, for “The Conversation” in 1974 and “Apocalypse Now” in 1979.
