| Megalopolis | |
|---|---|
&sq=&lang=&file=File:Megalopolis_(film)_poster.jpg) Theatrical release poster | |
| Directed by | Francis Ford Coppola |
| Written by | Francis Ford Coppola |
| Produced by |
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| Starring | |
| Cinematography | Mihai Mălaimare Jr. |
| Edited by |
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| Music by | Osvaldo Golijov |
Production companies |
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| Distributed by | Lionsgate Films |
Release dates |
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Running time | 138 minutes |
| Country | United States |
| Language | English |
| Budget | $120–136 million |
| Box office | $13.7 million[2][3] |
Megalopolis[a] is a 2024 American epic science fiction drama film written, directed, and produced by Francis Ford Coppola. The film stars Adam Driver, Giancarlo Esposito, Nathalie Emmanuel, Aubrey Plaza, Shia LaBeouf, Jon Voight, Laurence Fishburne, Talia Shire, Jason Schwartzman, Kathryn Hunter, Grace VanderWaal, Chloe Fineman, James Remar, D. B. Sweeney, and Dustin Hoffman. Set in an alternate, 21st-century New York City (restyled "New Rome"), it follows visionary architect Cesar Catilina (Driver) as he clashes with the corrupt Mayor Franklyn Cicero (Esposito), who opposes Catilina's plans to revitalize New Rome by building the futuristic utopia "Megalopolis". The film heavily references Roman history, particularly the Catilinarian conspiracy of 63 BC and the transition from the Roman Republic to the Roman Empire.
In 1977, Coppola had the idea to make a film drawing parallels between the fall of the Roman Republic and the future of the United States by retelling the Catilinarian conspiracy in modern-day New York. Although he began plotting the film in 1983, the project spent decades in development hell. Coppola attempted to produce the film in 1989 and 2001, but each time, the studios refused to finance the film, due to Coppola's string of late-career box-office disappointments and the September 11 attacks, respectively. Disillusioned by the studio system, Coppola did not produce Megalopolis until he built a large fortune in the winemaking business. He spent $120 million of his own money to make the film. Principal photography took place in Georgia from November 2022 to March 2023.
The film reunited Coppola with past collaborators, including actors Esposito, Fishburne, Remar, Shire, and Sweeney, cinematographer Mihai Mălaimare Jr., second-unit director Roman Coppola, and composer Osvaldo Golijov. Like several other Coppola films, Megalopolis had a troubled production. Coppola adopted an experimental style, encouraging his actors to improvise and write certain scenes during the shoot, and adding his own last-minute changes to the script. The art department and visual effects team, among others, left midway through production.
Megalopolis was selected to compete for the Palme d'Or at the 77th Cannes Film Festival, but polarized critics and Hollywood studios. Coppola could not find a studio that would both reimburse his production costs and pay for a large marketing campaign. He opted to self-fund his own marketing campaign, with Lionsgate theatrically releasing the film in the United States. It endured a troubled run-up to release: a trailer was removed for using fabricated pull quotes, and Coppola sued trade publication Variety for libel after it published allegations of sexual misconduct by him on set. The film premiered at Cannes on May 16, 2024, and was released on September 27, 2024. It received mixed reviews from critics and grossed $13 million.
- ^ "Francis Ford Coppola's Megalopolis: Productions Notes" (PDF). Cannes Film Festival. May 13, 2024. Archived (PDF) from the original on May 17, 2024. Retrieved May 18, 2024.
- ^ "Megalopolis". Box Office Mojo. Archived from the original on September 30, 2024. Retrieved November 11, 2024.
- ^ "Megalopolis – Financial Information". The Numbers. Archived from the original on October 7, 2024. Retrieved November 11, 2024.
- ^ Chang, Justin (May 16, 2024). "The Madly Captivating Urban Sprawl of Francis Ford Coppola's Megalopolis". The New Yorker. Archived from the original on July 8, 2024. Retrieved July 8, 2024.
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