There probably aren’t too many movie fans that aren’t looking forward to Francis Ford Coppola’s Megalopolis, his passion project that is decades in the making. And while we have gotten a lot of news in terms of plot, casting, title design, and more, it still feels sort of surreal that Megalopolis will finally be released later this year. But if we want any further details about what to expect, one of its stars, Adam Driver, can only tease.
Driver, who plays a character named Caesar in Megalopolis, described the film as such: “It’s kind of undefinable, which feels very general until you watch the movie. Then my answer will be perfect. There’s not a lot of precedent for it and it’s wild on a big scale, which is what’s really unique about it.” That’s not a whole lot but that Driver suggests there has been practically no other film like it absolutely lends to the buzz around the film, which is currently in post-production and due out near the end of the year.
As far as working with the director, Driver noted, “He’s a visionary. He’s very much Francis, in a way, where he’s investigated every way of how people can do something and is trying not to get stuck on the right answer. That’s an idea that’s moving to me – and one that reflects Francis.”
Coppola has put so much on the line for Megalopolis, putting up a lot of his own dough to finance the project. While obviously a monumental risk – the budget has been pegged upwards of $120 million – the director knows that this will allow him to create exactly the film he has been envisioning since the 1980s. And with Coppola being 85 by the time the film comes out, there likely won’t be more opportunities for him to do a project of this scope.
Not surprisingly, such a film as Megalopolis has attracted a star cast. In addition to Driver, the film features Nathalie Emmanuel, Forest Whitaker, Dustin Hoffman, Laurence Fishburne, Aubrey Plaza, Jason Schwartzman, Shia LaBeouf, Jon Voight, Talia Shire, and so many more. With this level of cast, the return from a 13-year hiatus from Coppola and the sheer magnitude of the film, we hope – for the director and ourselves – that Megalopolis was worth the wait.
Where does Megalopolis rank on your list of most anticipated films of 2024? Let us know in the comments section below.