Megalopolis, Coppola's decades-in-the-making science fiction epic, had a lengthy journey to the big screen. Inspired by the history of ancient Rome and early science fiction epics like Metropolis, Coppola first conceived the idea for Megalopolis in the 1970s, during the production of Apocalypse Now. However, the financial troubles of Coppola's studio, American Zoetrope in the 1980s, and his busy film slate in the 1990s pushed the project further and further back. Eventually, the now-largely-retired Coppola sold part of his successful winery business to self-finance the $120 million project himself; it finally began production in 2022 and premiered at the Cannes Film Festival earlier this year before finding a distribution partner in Lionsgate. Almost fifty years after it was first conceptualized, it premiered in theaters on September 27, 2024.
What Is 'Megalopolis' About?
Taking place in an alternate United States, New Rome is the greatest city in the world, and its greatest architect is Cesar Catalina (Driver). Despite his genius and success, he is unfulfilled and regularly clashes with New Rome's mayor, the conservative Franklin Cicero (Esposito) — even as he pursues a romance with Cicero's daughter, Julia (Emmanuel). He dreams of rebuilding New Rome as Megalopolis, a new utopian vision of the future, but he is opposed by Cicero; his spurned mistress, media gadfly Wow Platinum (Aubrey Plaza); and his own resentful cousin, Clodio Pulcher (Shia LaBeouf). Soon, their conflict will become open as they battle for the future of the city. The film's star-studded cast also includes Laurence Fishburne, Jon Voight, Dustin Hoffman, Talia Shire, Jason Schwartzman, and Talia Shire.
The critical response to Megalopolis was decidedly mixed, with a 45% rating on Rotten Tomatoes. In his review, Collider's Chase Hutchinson wished it were weirder: he called it "a film that could have been alienating and challenging, pushing us either on a formal or thematic level." Chris Sasaguay praised Plaza's scene-stealing performance as Wow Platinum, applauding her for "delivering the absurd and spectacular energy that this baroque film requires and becoming a theatrical, cunning villain."
Megalopolis is now available on Premium Video on Demand from Lionsgate. You can enter Collider's autographed Megalopolis poster giveaway below.
An architect wants to rebuild New York City as a utopia following a devastating disaster.
Release Date September 27, 2024
Director Francis Ford Coppola
Cast 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 , Giancarlo Esposito Runtime 138 Minutes
Main Genre Drama
Writers Francis Ford Coppola
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Image via Lionsgate
English (US) ·