Considering all that Francis Ford Coppola put into making his epic Megalopolis happen (a reported $100M of personal funds), it was getting scary the lack of domestic distribution following its world premiere last month at Cannes. To be fair, reviews have been divided on the film, but still, any movie lover would hope that a legend like Coppola could geta theatrical release for his passion project. It took a while, but Megalopolis has indeed found a home, and will open in theaters this fall.
Lionsgate has acquired domestic rights to Megalopolis, with plans to release it in theaters on September 27th. Not only that but there will be an IMAX rollout, as well, something IMAX had already agreed to. When it comes time for the home release, Lionsgate will take charge of that, too.
“Francis is a legend. For many of us, his gifts to cinema were one of the inspirations to devote our own careers to film,” Lionsgate chair Adam Fogelson said in a press statement. “It is a true privilege to work with him, and to bring this incredible, audacious, and utterly unique movie to theatrical audiences. At Lionsgate, we strive to be a home for bold and daring artists, and Megalopolis proves there is no one more bold or daring than the maestro, Francis Ford Coppola.”
Coppola added, “One rule of business I’ve always followed and prioritized (to my benefit) is to continue working with companies and teams who over time have proven to be good friends as well as great collaborators. This is why I am thrilled to have Adam Fogelson and Lionsgate Studios release Megalopolis. I am confident they will apply the same tender love and care given to Apocalypse Now, which is currently in its 45th year of astounding revenue and appreciation.”
Starring 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 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.
