Filmmaker Francis Ford Coppola (The Godfather, Apocalypse Now) no longer has to prove anything to anyone. And yet it was his heart’s desire to bring a project that had been planned for 47 years to the big screen. After 120 million US dollars out of his own pocket, considerable difficulties in finding a distributor, some negative headlines about the filming and a mixed-review premiere in Cannes, the time has finally come:
The sci-fi fable Megalopolis with Star Wars star Adam Driver in the lead role will be released in German cinemas in just one week.
Megalopolis: The most controversial sci-fi film of the year celebrates its German premiere in 7 days
Inspired by the falling Roman Empire and the political climate in the United States, Megalopolis tells the story of the brilliant architect Cesar Catilina (Driver). New Rome wants to rebuild it as an innovative metropolis using a new material called Megalon, his archenemy Mayor Cicero (Giancarlo Esposito) opposes it with all his might. Cicero’s daughter Julia (Nathalie Emmanuel), searching for meaning, gets caught in the crossfire between the two men when she falls in love with Catilina and his vision.
At the same time, the sensationalist news anchor Wow Platinum (Aubrey Plaza) and Catilina’s attention-seeking cousin Clodio Pulcher (Shia LaBeouf) from the circle of the powerful banker Hamilton Crassus III (Jon Voight) vie for influence in the changing mega-metropolis.
Small warning to sci-fi fans: Don’t expect a popcorn movie with an exciting future adventure. The title card at the beginning describes Francis Ford Coppola’s Megalopolis as a “fable”. Accordingly, certain “superpowers” in the film are to be understood metaphorically. In what is probably his last work, the 85-year-old filmmaker processes various ideas on topics such as art, culture and society, using the imagery of monumental films and sci-fi epics.
When exactly will Megalopolis be released in German cinemas?
Megalopolis marches on 26 September 2024 in local cinemas and takes 138 minutes, unless you have the ability to stop time like Adam Driver’s film character.