While Francis Ford Coppola has still not been able to sell his self-financed sci-fi epic Megalopolis to a US distributor, the theatrical release for Europe has now been confirmed
Megalopolis by legendary director Francis Ford Coppola (The Godfather) is a truly enigmatic project. It has been in the works since the beginning of the millennium, has been rewritten 300 times and, despite big names, has not found an American distributor willing to take the risk of a sophisticated auteur film. The filmmaker financed the film out of his own pocket – and it has long since been completed.
From Cannes, where Megalopolis will premiere for the press on May 16, 2024, we now have promising news regarding its theatrical release in Europe, including Germany. Whether the film will receive the support of a major studio in the USA or end up on an indie label remains to be seen
The sci-fi epic Metropolis by Francis Ford Coppola is coming to Germany
According to Deadline, Coppola’s longtime lawyer and several European distributors came to an agreement in Cannes regarding the regular release on this side of the pond. The theatrical rights for Germany, Austria and Switzerland went to Constantin Film. Accordingly, a local release can be expected before the US premiere
(Megalopolis)
Oliver Berben, the CEO of Constantin, said:
Megalopolis is a project close to our hearts – not only for Coppola, but also for us. We are incredibly proud to be able to bring it to theaters in Germany. This film has the makings of a classic and I can hardly wait for many people to see it in theaters. Megalopolis is more than just good entertainment: the film is an allegory, a vision for the future.
The VoD and TV rights have not yet been sold. Presumably because they are hoping for an international deal with one of the big streamers.
This is what Francis Ford Coppola’s sci-fi epic Megalopolis is about
Coppola was inspired for Megalopolis by the history of the Roman Empire and works by H.G. Wells. The plot revolves around the idealistic architect Cesar Catilina (Adam Driver), who dreams of rebuilding a destroyed metropolis as a utopian megacity. He faces opposition from corrupt mayor Franklyn Cicero (Giancarlo Esposito), whose daughter Julia (Nathalie Emmanuel) is caught between two stools.
In a first Megalopolis clip that Coppola published on his YouTube channel, it became clear that Driver’s protagonist has the ability to manipulate time:
Furthermore, Aubrey Plaza, Shia LaBeouf, Laurence Fishburne, Dustin Hoffman, Balthazar Getty, Kathryn Hunter, Grace VanderWaal, Jason Schwartzman and many more can be seen in Megalopolis.
