Whoa! The drama revolving around Megalopolis highlights the immense challenges of bringing a film to life and getting it on the big screen. Francis Ford Coppola’s sci-fi epic tells the story of an architect who desires to rebuild NYC as a utopia. Coppola has finished the film’s production, but is unable to find a suitable distribution partner due to its bizarre premise. Now, the director has responded to this matter.
In a recent interview with The Daily Beast, Coppola reacted to the divisiveness of Megalopolis. He compared the ongoing controversy surrounding the film with Apocalypse Now (1979). He disclosed that the critically acclaimed war drama also received “very contradicting views” before its theatrical release. But he seemed confident about Megalopolis. He believes that the movie will gain more appreciation from people with the passage of time.
“This is exactly what happened with Apocalypse Now 40 years ago. There were very contradicting views expressed, but the audience never stopped going to see the film, and to this day Apocalypse Now is still in very profitable distribution. I am sure this will be the same situation with Megalopolis. It will stand the test of time.”
Francis Ford Coppola’s journey to bringing Apocalypse Now to the big screen was nothing short of nightmarish. The film’s production was a complete nightmare for the leading man, Martin Sheen. He constantly struggled with health problems throughout the movie’s filming in the Philippines, including suffering a serious heart attack. In addition, Coppola was reportedly not happy with Marlon Brando, as the latter arrived overweight and unprepared for the film’s shoot. Moreover, the movie’s budget ballooned to $30 million from $10 million due to several production delays and extended shooting schedules. Executives at United Artists (the film’s distributor) were also unhappy with the film’s extended length and unconventional narrative. Despite all the obstacles, Apocalypse Now made its way to the theatres on August 15, 1979, silencing doubters with its excellence and grossing over $104 million globally.
Coppola’s Megalopolis comprises sensational talents like Adam Driver, Aubrey Plaza, Giancarlo Esposito, Jon Voight, and more. However, it has a humongous budget of $120 million. The legendary helmer reportedly sold a significant portion of his wine empire to take care of the film’s production cost. But the real problem lies with its distribution. According to Coppola, Megalopolis needs at least $100 million to cover its distribution and marketing, which has baffled many production studios. They do not want to spend their money on a film that has been declared bizzare and highly experimental by many. Prominent production houses, such as Disney, Warner Bros, and Paramount, have displayed no interest in taking care of Megalopolis’ distribution. Let’s see what happens. Stay tuned for more updates.