Film legend Francis Ford Coppola has finally given us the first look at MEGALOPOLIS, his epic sci-fi drama long in the making that he wrote, produced, and directed.
While not much is known about the film, the new MEGALOPOLIS teaser shows off protagonist Cesar Catilina (Adam Driver) ready to jump off a rooftop, only to reveal some kind of supernatural powers.
Not much else is shown but the film is set in an alternate reality version of New York City, but after some kind of widespread disaster – and with lots of inspiration of ancient Rome.
“It’s a love story that is also a philosophical investigation of the nature of man; it’s set in New York, but a New York steeped in echoes of ancient Rome,” Coppola previously said to GQ.
MEGALOPOLIS will have an all-star, ensemble cast including the aforementioned Adam Driver alonside Nathalie Emmanuel, Giancarlo Esposito, Jon Voight, Laurence Fishburne, Aubrey Plaza, Shia LaBeouf, Jason Schwartzman, Grace VanderWaal, Kathryn Hunter, Talia Shire, Dustin Hoffman, and D. B. Sweeney.
Coppola has been trying to make MEGALOPOLIS since the early 1980s when he first started writing it and developing it, though it was hit by substantial delays and several cancelations over the years. A passion project, Coppola revived it in 2019 by pledging $120 million of his own money to get it made. Filming was completed from November 2022 through March 2023, as the film is Coppola’s first to direct a feature film since 2011’s Twixt.
When previously asked about the potential for failure in funding such a massive budget all by himself, Coppola responded, “I couldn’t care less about the financial impact whatsoever. It means nothing to me.”
The official synopsis 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.”
Here’s the teaser trailer:
MEGALOPOLIS was selected to compete for the Palme d’Or at the 77th Cannes Film Festival, where it will see its first screening on May 17th, 2024.
