Megalopolis: Francis Ford Coppola Takes a Swipe at his Critics in Trailer for Sci-Fi Epic [Updated]

The post Megalopolis: Francis Ford Coppola Takes a Swipe at his Critics in Trailer for Sci-Fi Epic [Updated] appeared first on Consequence .

Francis Ford Coppola has revealed the new, official trailer for Megalopolis , his upcoming sci-fi epic set to open in theaters and IMAX on September 27th, 2024. And in the process, the legendary filmmaker has hit back at critics of the film.

A passion project decades in the making, Coppola largely financed Megalopolis himself (the film’s budget is reportedly in the range of $120 million). The film boasts an ensemble cast featuring Adam Driver, Giancarlo Esposito, Nathalie Emmanuel, Aubrey Plaza, Shia LaBeouf, Jon Voight, Laurence Fishburne, Talia Shire, Jason Schwartzman, Kathryn Hunter, Grace VanderWaal, Chloe Fineman, James Remar, D.B. Sweeney, and Dustin Hoffman.

Megalopolis is described as “a Roman Epic fable set in an imagined Modern America. The City of New Rome must change, causing conflict between Cesar Catilina, a genius artist who seeks to leap into a utopian, idealistic future, and his opposition, Mayor Franklyn Cicero, who remains committed to a regressive status quo, perpetuating greed, special interests, and partisan warfare. Torn between them is socialite Julia Cicero, the mayor’s daughter, whose love for Cesar has divided her loyalties, forcing her to discover what she truly believes humanity deserves.”

Given the somewhat convoluted plot and a mixed critical reception following its premiere at Cannes in May, there was some uncertainty as to whether Megalopolis would be able to secure a US theatrical release. However, Coppola found a willing partner in Lionsgate, who distributed a number of his films over the years, including Apocalypse Now Final Cut , The Conversation , The Cotton Club Encore , Tucker: The Man and His Dream , and One From the Heart: Reprise . As part of the deal, Lionsgate will also handle the distribution of Megalopolis across all home entertainment platforms.

In the newly released trailer, Coppola takes a swipe at the criticism the film has received thus far. The preview opens with a narrator declaring, “True genius is often misunderstood.” The screen then displays a montage of past negative reviews for Coppola’s films, including The Godfather , Apocalypse Now , and Bram Stoker’s Dracula . “One filmmaker has always been ahead of his time,” the narrator adds.

Update: According to Vulture , the quotes attributed to movie critics that are featured in the trailer for Megalopolis appear to be fabricated, as there is no record of them in the original reviews.

Megalopolis marks Coppola’s first directorial effort in 13 years.

Megalopolis: Francis Ford Coppola Takes a Swipe at his Critics in Trailer for Sci-Fi Epic [Updated]
Scoop Harrison