“Megalopolis” Will Premiere in Competition at Cannes

Francis Ford Coppola‘s passion project “Megalopolis” will officially premiere in competition at the Cannes Film Festival, according to an individual familiar with the project. The film will debut in a gala slot on May 17.

“Megalopolis” boasts an all-star cast, including Adam Driver, Giancarlo Esposito, Nathalie Emmanuel, Jon Voight, Laurence Fishburne, Shia LaBeouf, Coppola’s sister Talia Shire, Jason Schwartzman (Shire’s son), Chloe Fineman, Kathryn Hunter, Dustin Hoffman, D.B. Sweeney, Baily Ives, Grace VanderWaal and James Remar.

Coppola wrote the screenplay in the 1980s and has finally brought the film to fruition, investing over $100 million of his own money into the project.

Last week, Cannes Film Festival director Thierry Fremaux told Variety that he’d been courting Coppola to bring his latest film to the Croisette after the famed director presented “Apocalypse Now Redux” during Fremaux’s first year at the festival in 1995.

“‘Megalopolis’ is a project that he wanted to achieve for so long and he did it independently, in his own way, as an artist,” Fremaux said. “He built the legend of the Cannes Film Festival and it would be an honor to welcome him back, as a filmmaker who comes to present his new film.”

“Megalopolis” wrapped production last year and, on March 28, screened for the first time before a star-studded guest list of studio heads, distributors and buyers at the Universal CityWalk IMAX Theater in L.A.

While plot details for the film remain vague, with Coppola often calling it an indescribable enigma, the official logline reads: “The fate of Rome haunts a modern world unable to solve its own social problems in this epic story of political ambition, genius and conflicted love.” The story is reportedly set in an alternate reality version of New York City dubbed “New Rome.”

“Megalopolis” Lands SAG-AFTRA Interim Agreement Despite Wrapping

Francis Ford Coppola’s self-funded passion project, epic film “Megalopolis,” has been granted an interim agreement from SAG-AFTRA amid the ongoing strike. While the film, starring Adam Driver, Aubrey Plaza, Shia LaBeouf, Dustin Hoffman, and Forest Whitaker, wrapped production in March 2023, it’s unclear what the interim agreement would be for.

Coppola has yet to tease a release date for the film, with the SAG exemption perhaps for the actors to promote the film. Similarly, if Coppola opted for reshoots, the SAG interim agreement could be for allowing actors to return to set.

The SAG-AFTRA interim agreements do not publicly differentiate between actors promoting a project or filming. Casting is only highlighted in separate agreements. A rep for Coppola declined to comment further beyond confirming the film had signed the interim agreement.

Aubrey Plaza on Working With Francis Ford Coppola on “Megalopolis”

Aubrey Plaza is understandably excited about working with The Godfather director Francis Ford Coppola. In August, it was announced that Plaza was joining the cast of Megalopolis, the director’s passion project. Plaza joined a star-studded ensemble cast that included Adam Driver, Forest Whitaker, Nathalie Emmanuel, Jon Voight, and Laurence Fishburne. Since news of Plaza’s involvement, Dustin Hoffman, Shia LaBeouf, and Jason Schwartzman, among others, have also signed on for the anticipated film.

While appearing on In the Envelope: The Actor’s Podcast, Plaza praised the respected director, saying:

“For a really long time, I’ve been manifesting [the idea that I want] to work with a brilliant director. Who [could] be more brilliant than Francis Ford Coppola, one of the greatest living directors? It’s really hard to get parts in movies where you’re working with directors that have made a lot of films. I don’t regret anything I’ve done. I love working with first-time directors; I’ll never stop doing that, because I love it so much. But there’s been a part of me for a while that’s like, I really want to work with a really seasoned director. I would say Francis Ford Coppola—that guy is seasoned.”

The award-winning director rose to stardom after the release of The Godfather in 1972. His work on the film and its sequel earned him numerous accolades, as did his work on Patton, Apocalypse Now and American Graffiti. Megalopolis is being financed by Coppola, who sold a piece of his eponymous winery to fund the project. As well as directing, Coppola penned the script for the film. The director previously described Megalopolis as a love story about a woman who is “divided between loyalties to two men.”

Source: Movie Web

Aubrey Plaza Join Francis Coppola’s “Megalopolis”

Following some of the best reviews of her career in Emily the Criminal, Aubrey Plaza has found that next big feature film. Sources say she is set to join the ensemble cast of Francis Ford Coppola’s passion project Megalopolis. The film already stars Adam Driver, Forest Whitaker, Nathalie Emmanuel, Jon Voight and Laurence Fishburne.

Deadline was first to break the news that the iconic director would be moving forward with the project later this year with Coppola directing the independently financed film from his own script. Here’s how he has described the contemporary drama to Deadline in the past: The fate of Rome haunts a modern world unable to solve its own social problems in this epic story of political ambition, genius and conflicted love.

The budget will be just under $100 million, and production begins this fall. Distribution rights are being brokered by attorney Barry Hirsch.

As for Plaza, her recent film Emily the Criminal premiered earlier this year Sundance. She is also set to star in the next season of HBO’s hit anthology series The White Lotus.

She is repped by CAA, MGMT Entertainment and attorney Ira Schreck.

Source: Deadline Hollywood