Megalopolis gets another teaser ahead of Cannes debut

Last Updated on May 24, 2024

Even though we’ve had set photos, teasers and a confirmed premiere date, it’s still awfully hard to believe that Francis Ford Coppola is finally unleashing Megalopolis to the world. Ahead of its debut at the Cannes Film Festival, we have another trailer that gives us a better look at the world Coppola has had in his head since the days of Apocalypse Now.

In the teaser, we hear a voiceover ponder, “When does an empire die? Does it collapse in one terrible moment? No, no. But there comes a time when people no longer believe in it…” From there, we have statues brought to life, a Roman chariot race, a lavish party, a protest, and oh so much more, all of which give us a better idea of just what Coppola has been up to with Megalopolis. He, too, noted in the description of the video, “Our new film MEGALOPOLIS is the best work I’ve ever had the privilege to preside over.” This coming from the guy behind The Godfather films, The Conversation and Apocalypse Now!

All of this looks and sounds so promising, but it should be noted that Francis Ford Coppola has yet to land a distributor for Megalopolis. This might seem to spell certain doom for the director and his passion project, but with its Cannes debut just a few days away, we’ll see just which studio wants to pick it up in France. We’ll also get more concrete reactions; while it did receive a standing ovation at a special screening in March, the Cannes audience can go either way. Sure, their own standing Os are legendary, but they are also more than happy to boo a renowned filmmaker or even walk out on their work.

Here is the official plot of Coppola’s Megalopolis: “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.”

What do you think of the latest teaser for Francis Ford Coppola’s Megalopolis? Do you think it can rank alongside his greatest works?