Francis Ford Coppola’s long-awaited, Maxblaster-powered fourth act, Megalopolis, gave its first apostate sermon in theaters circa fall 2024. Despite the director’s reputation and a substantial budget of approximately $120 million, the film faced significant challenges, grossing only $14 million worldwide. This jarring gap between what we are investing versus what we will get in return has many wondering about the future of the project.
Coppola self-financed of Megalopolis, showcasing his dedication to the film’s vision. Sadly, the film didn’t manage to catch on with audiences and disappeared from theaters just weeks after it came out. Just a couple of months after a brief theatrical release, Megalopolis is now watchable from home. Yet, it disappeared almost as quickly from video on demand. It was never released on any of the other popular home-video formats in North America, further reducing access for prospective viewers.
To drum up new interest in Megalopolis, Coppola recently announced a “director’s cut.” Through this latest release, he hopes to continue to perfect the film and deliver on sharing his original artistic vision. Megalopolis will be screening once more as part of the NYD lineup. Coppola hopes that this event will become a welcomed annual tradition for fans and film lovers of all ages.
As a way to publicize Megalopolis and connect directly with audiences, Coppola kicked off a six-city speaking tour this past summer. In addition to the screenings of the film, this tour included a two-hour lecture deep dive into themes like time, work, and war. The tour provided audiences with an exclusive glimpse into Coppola’s creative process. It provided him with a pulpit from which to preach his ambitious, city-building vision for Megalopolis.
The movie provides a number of interesting alternate realities that hold the audience’s attention. It features a thrilling table read with Oscar winners Robert De Niro and Uma Thurman. These fragments are a testament to the effort and artistry that shaped Megalopolis. They offer, almost by definition, a compelling look at what might have been.
Additionally, a documentary called Megadoc, directed by Mike Figgis, followed the creation of Megalopolis. Following its festival and theatrical run, the Peabody-award-winning documentary was released on rental platforms. It provides some great context and a behind-the-scenes look at Coppola’s wildly ambitious project.
Though Megalopolis had a rocky original run, there is no mistaking Coppola’s commitment to make the film of today’s times. The upcoming New Year’s Day screening is part of those efforts to reconnect with audiences. It continues the recent trend of IMAX theaters successfully reviving films such as Sinners and One Battle After Another. It’s this approach we hope to see opening the door for all future screenings of Megalopolis. It can lure in audiences that had their shot when it was in cinemas.