Francis Ford Coppola’s long-awaitedMegalopolisis officially coming to cinemas worldwide, in IMAX. Coppola’s self-funded passion project has been years in the making, and had a gruelingly rocky road to fruition. Many fans thought the film might never see the light of day, but IMAX has swooped in to ensure the film gets a global release.
During a press event at the Cannes Film Festival (viaTHR), IMAX CEO, Richard Gelfond, announced thatIMAX had picked up the film for international release.In a statement, Gelford said:
“The film is going to get an IMAX release. One of the things that we pride ourselves on is being filmmaker-friendly. So we’ve committed to Francis to do a global IMAX release.”
Megalopolis
Megalopolis, directed by Francis Ford Coppola, is a visionary 2024 film exploring the ambitious dream of reconstructing New York City into a utopia, following a devastating disaster. The narrative delves into the clash between the architect’s utopian vision and the political and personal turmoil that ensues. With a star-studded cast, the film examines themes of ambition, power, and the human spirit’s resilience against the backdrop of a futuristic metropolis.
According to THR’s report, it has already been sold to multiple international territories, but will also be released in IMAX across the globe. Gelford said that he met Coppola at Cannes and arranged a deal at the festival. The report also said that IMAX will likely wait to see which other distributors pick up the film, and what release dates they settle on before announcing a date for IMAX screenings.
The announcement is great news for Coppola’s fans, especially following recent reports that studios claimedMegalopoliswas ‘unsellable’. However, it appears as though the movie will finally be getting a theatrical release, after a50-year battle by Coppolato get the movie made.
First Reactions to Megalopolis are Mixed
Part of the hype around Coppola’sMegalopolisis theenigma surrounding its concept.The official synopsis reads,“An architect wants to rebuild New York City as a utopia following a devastating disaster.“However, after seeing the first trailer (which dropped earlier this month), fans still feel none the wiser about the movie’s actual plot.
Francis Ford Coppola Accused of ‘Old-School’ Behavior Megalopolis Set: ‘Was Like Watching a Train Wreck’
The filming of Megalopolis was ‘chaotic’ and it’s alleged Coppola pulled women onto his lap and kissed female extras to get them ‘in the mood.’
Megalopoliswas screened to a private audience in Los Angeles in April this year, and the reactions were as mixed and enigmatic as the film’s premise appears to be. According to a report fromThe Guardian, one executive simply described the movie as"batsh*t crazy.“However, another executive’s words were reportedly less kind, saying:
“It’s so not good, and it was so sad watching it … This is not how Coppola should end his directing career.”
Megalopolisalso has its strong share of fans following early screenings. PerThe Standard, Nigel Green, managing director of Entertainment Film DIstributors (who are overseeing the film’s UK release) has described the project as"a very special film that makes you believe again in the unique experience of cinema.”
Following studios' comments that the film is unsellable, a large portion of the fan base are decidedly ignoring these comments, and are waiting to see the film first-hand before forming any opinions. However, what they do already know is thatMegalopolis' cast is absolutely incredible.Adam Driver stars as Caesar Catalina, the aforementioned architect. Alongside Driver is a supporting cast that includes, Nathalie Emmanuel, Shia LaBeouf, Giancarlo Esposito, Aubrey Plaza, Laurence Fishburne, Dustin Hoffman, Jason Schwartzman, Grace VanderWaal, and Zendaya. Francis Ford Coppola wrote and directed the script. The acclaimed director, whose past works includeApocalypse NowandThe Godfathertrilogy, has also famously self-funded the project, with an estimated budget of $120 million.
No release date has been confirmed. However, withMegalopolismaking its Cannes premiere tomorrow (May 17), expect news about a potential release date in the coming weeks, as well as more reactions to the movie.
