Megalopolis
Directed byFrancis Ford Coppola
Written byFrancis Ford Coppola
Produced by
  • Francis Ford Coppola
  • Michael Bederman
Starring
CinematographyMihai Mălaimare Jr.
Edited byGlen Scantlebury
Production
company
CountryUnited States
LanguageEnglish
Budgetmore than $120 million[1]

Megalopolis is an upcoming American epic science fiction drama film written, directed and produced by Francis Ford Coppola. The film features an ensemble cast, including Adam Driver, Forest Whitaker, Nathalie Emmanuel, Jon Voight, Laurence Fishburne, Aubrey Plaza, Shia LaBeouf, Jason Schwartzman, Grace VanderWaal, Kathryn Hunter, Talia Shire, Dustin Hoffman, D. B. Sweeney, and Giancarlo Esposito. Filming began in November 2022 and concluded in March 2023.

Premise

In New York, a woman, Julia Cicero is divided between loyalties to her father, Frank, who has a classical view of society, and her architect lover, Caesar, who is more progressive and ready for the future.[2] He wants to rebuild New York City as a utopia following a devastating disaster.[3]

Cast

Production

Development

Filmmaker Francis Ford Coppola at the 2001 Cannes Film Festival in Cannes, France.
Writer, director, and producer Francis Ford Coppola in 2001

Francis Ford Coppola started writing Megalopolis in the 1980s, as a passion project.[4] Actor Rob Lowe said that Coppola was talking about the project when they were shooting The Outsiders (1983) in 1982.[5] In a May 2007 interview with Ain't It Cool News, Coppola said he agreed to direct Bram Stoker's Dracula (1992), Jack (1996) and The Rainmaker (1997) to get out of debt and fund Megalopolis.[6] Jim Steranko, who previously created production illustrations for Bram Stoker's Dracula, produced a dozen color works for Megalopolis in the mid-1990s at Coppola's behest to create stark "architectonic panoramas of content and imagery."

By 2001, Coppola began holding table reads with actors including Russell Crowe, Robert De Niro, Leonardo DiCaprio, Nicolas Cage, Paul Newman, Kevin Spacey, James Gandolfini, Edie Falco and Uma Thurman,[7] and recorded roughly 30 hours of second-unit footage of New York City with Ron Fricke,[8] all of which he discarded after 9/11.[2] Coppola said: "It made it really pretty tough... a movie about the aspiration of utopia with New York as a main character and then all of a sudden you couldn't write about New York without just dealing with what happened and the implications of what happened. The world was attacked and I didn't know how to try to do with that. I tried".[6] In 2007, Coppola said he had abandoned the project.[6]

In a series of Instagram posts in July 2023, Coppola said the film had been heavily influenced by the following books:

Pre-production

Coppola returned to the project in May 2019, announcing he would resume development and had approached Jude Law and Shia LaBeouf for lead roles.[11][12] In August 2021, it was confirmed that discussions with actors to star in the film had begun; James Caan was set to star while Oscar Isaac, Forest Whitaker, Cate Blanchett, Jon Voight, Zendaya, Michelle Pfeiffer, and Jessica Lange were in various stages of negotiations.[13] By March 2022, Coppola's sister, Talia Shire, expressed her interest in joining the cast,[4] and Isaac was reported to have passed on the project.[14] The previous month, Coppola said he spent $120 million of his own money and sold a "significant piece of his wine empire" to produce the film.[2] By May, the budget was reported to be under $100 million,[15] while Whitaker and Voight were confirmed for the cast, with Adam Driver, Nathalie Emmanuel, and Laurence Fishburne added.[15] On July 6, Caan, who was still in negotiations for the film, died.[16] Pre-production had begun by mid-July 2022, with Mihai Mălaimare Jr. serving as cinematographer.[17] In August, Aubrey Plaza, Jason Schwartzman, Grace VanderWaal, Kathryn Hunter and James Remar joined the cast, with Shire and LaBeouf also confirmed to be part of the cast.[18][19] Chloe Fineman, Madeleine Gardella, Isabelle Kusman, D. B. Sweeney, Bailey Ives and Dustin Hoffman would be added in October.[20] In January 2023, Giancarlo Esposito was added to the cast.[21]

Filming

Principal photography began at Trilith Studios in Georgia on November 1, 2022,[22] with set photos of LaBeouf and Emmanuel filming in Atlanta published on November 8,[23] and was due to finish in March 2023.[24] The film was originally shot using OSVP technology at Prysm Stage, Trilith Studios,[25] but "as the challenges and costs of that approach have mounted, the production is attempting to pivot to a less costly, more traditional greenscreen approach".[26]

By January 2023, the film was halfway into filming when reports indicated the budget ballooned higher than its original $120 million,[26] which journalists compared to the production issues of Coppola's Apocalypse Now (1979).[26][27][28][29] Due to the reported "unstable filming environment", several crew members were revealed to have exited the film, including production designer Beth Mickle, art director David Scott, and visual effects supervisor Mark Russell, along with the rest of the visual effects team.[26] Coppola and Driver contested the report, saying that while there was some turnover in crew, the production was on schedule, on budget, and going smoothly.[30] At the same time, Mike Figgis directed a behind-the-scenes documentary on the production of Megalopolis.[31] Driver wrapped filming his part in early March, calling it "one of the best ... shooting experiences of my life".[32] Filming wrapped on March 30, 2023.[33]

Post-production

In August 2023, the film was granted a waiver during the 2023 SAG-AFTRA strike.[34] In January 2024, Coppola said he expected the film to release in 2024; the film is widely tipped for a Cannes Film Festival premiere.[35]

References

  1. ↑ Masters, Kim; Feinberg, Scott; Couch, Aaron (January 9, 2023). "Francis Ford Coppola's 'Megalopolis' in Peril Amid Ballooning Budget, Crew Exodus (Exclusive)". The Hollywood Reporter. Archived from the original on January 9, 2023. Retrieved January 10, 2023.
  2. 1 2 3 Baron, Zach (February 17, 2022). "Francis Ford Coppola's $100 Million Bet". GQ. Archived from the original on March 4, 2022. Retrieved March 4, 2022.
  3. ↑ "Nicolas Cage on Filming a Movie in Toronto at the Same Time as Cousin Sofia Coppola: "This Has Got to be Good Luck"". Archived from the original on November 18, 2023. Retrieved November 18, 2023.
  4. 1 2 Gardner, Chris (March 3, 2022). "Francis Ford Coppola Explains Why He's Spending His Own $120M on Megalopolis". The Hollywood Reporter. Archived from the original on March 3, 2022. Retrieved March 3, 2022.
  5. ↑ Ed Helms: Benevolent Fan of Flannel, November 17, 2022, archived from the original on November 27, 2022, retrieved November 27, 2022
  6. 1 2 3 Knowles, Harry (May 8, 2007). "Harry sits down in Austin with Francis Ford Coppola and talks Youth Without Youth, Seventies film, Wine, Tetro and the Coppolas". Ain't It Cool News. Archived from the original on November 14, 2022. Retrieved November 14, 2022.
  7. ↑ Handy, Bruce (April 1, 2010). "The Liberation of Francis Ford Coppola". Vanity Fair. Archived from the original on May 11, 2021. Retrieved November 14, 2022.
  8. ↑ "Ron Fricke". Samsara. October 30, 2011. Archived from the original on November 2, 2022. Retrieved November 14, 2022.
  9. ↑ @francisfordcoppola (July 7, 2023). "These are 4 books that have strongly influenced @megalopolis film and my view of "the society we live in."" – via Instagram.
  10. ↑ @francisfordcoppola (July 13, 2023). "Books that inspired @megalopolisfilm - Part II" – via Instagram.
  11. ↑ Fleming, Mike Jr. (May 13, 2019). "Francis Ford Coppola: How Winning Cannes 40 Years Ago Saved Apocalypse Now, Making Megalopolis, Why Scorsese Almost Helmed Godfather Part II & Re-Cutting Three Past Films". Deadline Hollywood. Archived from the original on May 16, 2019. Retrieved November 6, 2022.
  12. ↑ Sun, Rebecca (October 8, 2019). "Francis Ford Coppola Signs With CAA". The Hollywood Reporter. Archived from the original on February 18, 2022. Retrieved February 18, 2022.
  13. ↑ Fleming, Mike Jr. (August 31, 2021). "Francis Coppola, A Gambling Maverick Moviemaker Who Won Big, Betting On Star Cast For Epic Megalopolis". Deadline Hollywood. Archived from the original on January 26, 2022. Retrieved August 31, 2021.
  14. ↑ Friedman, Roger (March 21, 2022). "Exclusive: Oscar Isaac Passes on Godfather Director Francis Ford Coppola's $120 Mil Megalopolis, Director Wants to Shoot This Fall". Showbiz411. Archived from the original on March 22, 2022. Retrieved March 29, 2022.
  15. 1 2 Fleming, Mike Jr. (May 12, 2022). "Francis Coppola Sets Megalopolis Cast: Adam Driver, Forest Whitaker, Nathalie Emmanuel, Jon Voight & Filmmaker's Apocalypse Now Teen Discovery Laurence Fishburne". Deadline Hollywood. Archived from the original on May 12, 2022. Retrieved May 12, 2022.
  16. ↑ McCall, Kevin (July 14, 2022). "Francis Ford Coppola's Passion Project Megalopolis to Shoot in Georgia". Collider. Archived from the original on November 2, 2022. Retrieved November 9, 2022.
  17. ↑ Raup, Jordan (August 23, 2022). "Aubrey Plaza Joins Francis Ford Coppola's Megalopolis, Confirmed to Shoot this Fall". The Film Stage. Archived from the original on September 16, 2022. Retrieved September 16, 2022.
  18. ↑ Kroll, Justin (August 22, 2022). "Aubrey Plaza Joins Adam Driver In Francis Coppola's Megalopolis". Deadline Hollywood. Archived from the original on November 26, 2022. Retrieved August 22, 2022.
  19. ↑ Couch, Aaron (August 31, 2022). "Francis Ford Coppola's Megalopolis Casts Talia Shire, Shia LaBeouf, Jason Schwartzman and More". The Hollywood Reporter. Archived from the original on August 31, 2022. Retrieved August 31, 2022.
  20. ↑ Fleming, Mike Jr. (October 4, 2022). "Francis Coppola Sets Final Casting For Epic Megalopolis; Film Shooting This Fall In Georgia". Deadline Hollywood. Archived from the original on October 4, 2022. Retrieved October 4, 2022.
  21. ↑ Fleming, Mike Jr. (January 23, 2023). "Giancarlo Esposito Joins Cast Of Francis Ford Coppola's Megalopolis". Deadline Hollywood. Archived from the original on January 24, 2023. Retrieved January 24, 2023.
  22. ↑ "Megalopolis". Production List. Film & Television Industry Alliance. October 10, 2022. Archived from the original on November 6, 2022. Retrieved November 6, 2022.
  23. ↑ McArdle, Tommy (November 8, 2022). "Shia LaBeouf Spotted Filming on Atlanta Set of Francis Ford Coppola's Epic Megalopolis Movie". People Magazine. Archived from the original on November 9, 2022. Retrieved November 9, 2022.
  24. ↑ Ho, Rodney (July 13, 2022). "Francis Ford Coppola's Megalopolis with Adam Driver coming to shoot in Georgia". The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. Archived from the original on July 13, 2022. Retrieved July 13, 2022.
  25. ↑ Klawans, Justin (September 28, 2022). "Francis Ford Coppola's 'Megalopolis' to Film at Prysm Stages in Atlanta Using Groundbreaking Technology". Collider. Archived from the original on November 4, 2022. Retrieved November 4, 2022.
  26. 1 2 3 4 Masters, Kim; Feinberg, Scott; Couch, Aaron (January 9, 2023). "Francis Ford Coppola's 'Megalopolis' in Peril Amid Ballooning Budget, Crew Exodus (Exclusive)". The Hollywood Reporter. Archived from the original on January 9, 2023. Retrieved January 10, 2023.
  27. ↑ Gularte, Alejandra (January 10, 2023). "Francis Ford Coppola's Megalopolis May Be Experiencing Apocalypse Now Levels of Stress". Vulture. Archived from the original on January 10, 2023. Retrieved January 10, 2023.(subscription required)
  28. ↑ Schimkowitz, Matt (January 10, 2023). "We've reached the crew quitting, budgets exploding part of Megalopolis' production". The A.V. Club. G/O Media. Archived from the original on January 10, 2023. Retrieved January 10, 2023.
  29. ↑ McPherson, Christopher (January 10, 2023). "Francis Ford Coppola's 'Megalopolis' Production Reportedly in Peril". Collider. Archived from the original on January 10, 2023. Retrieved January 10, 2023.
  30. ↑ Fleming, Mike Jr. (January 10, 2023). "Francis Ford Coppola: No Truth To Apocalypse On 'Megalopolis'". Deadline Hollywood. Archived from the original on January 10, 2023. Retrieved January 10, 2023.
  31. ↑ Newman, Nick (January 10, 2023). "Francis Ford Coppola and Adam Driver Respond to Megalopolis Rumors; Mike Figgis Plans a Behind-the-Scenes Documentary". The Film Stage. Archived from the original on January 11, 2023. Retrieved January 11, 2023.
  32. ↑ "Adam Driver Talks '65,' Fighting Dinosaurs, and Filming Francis Ford Coppola's 'Megalopolis'". Archived from the original on March 8, 2023. Retrieved March 8, 2023.
  33. ↑ Welk, Brian (March 30, 2023). "Francis Ford Coppola Wraps Production on Epic Megalopolis". IndieWire. Archived from the original on April 18, 2023. Retrieved March 30, 2023.
  34. ↑ Kroll, Justin (August 31, 2023). "Francis Ford Coppola's 'Megalopolis' Lands Interim Agreement From SAG-AFTRA". Deadline Hollywood. Archived from the original on August 31, 2023. Retrieved August 31, 2023.
  35. ↑ Bergeson, Samantha (January 5, 2024). "Francis Ford Coppola Confirms 'Megalopolis' Early 2024 Release: 'Wait and See'". Indiewire.com. IndieWire. Retrieved January 6, 2024.
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