Megalopolis is an “epic vision by Francis Ford Coppola” — and it’s a vision that Lionsgate will bring to North America theaters this fall. Lionsgate Studios on Monday announced a distribution dealto release Coppola’s starry and self-funded film in theaters and inIMAX in the U.S. and Canada on September 27th. For the visionary Godfather filmmaker, the deal is the last step to bringing his long-gestating passion project — which he’s been developing for four decades — to wide audiences after Megalopolis received a seven-minute standing ovation following its long-awaited debut at the Cannes Film Festival in May. (Watch the Megalopolis trailer.)
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“Francis is a legend. For many of us, his gifts to cinema were one ofthe inspirations to devote our own careers to film,” Adam Fogelson, chair of the Lionsgate Motion Picture Group, said in a statement. “It is a trueprivilege to work with him, and to bring this incredible, audacious, andutterly unique movie to theatrical audiences. At Lionsgate, we striveto 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 andprioritized (to my benefit) is to continue working with companies andteams who over time have proven to be good friends as well as greatcollaborators. This is why I am thrilled to have Adam Fogelson andLionsgate 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.”
The deal extends Lionsgate’s longstanding partnership with Coppola and his American Zoetrope banner. Lionsgate Studios, which will also handle the distribution of Megalopolis across all home entertainment platforms, previously released Coppola’s Apocalypse Now Final Cut, The Conversation, The Cotton Club Encore, Tucker: The Man and His Dream, and One From the Heart: Reprise on home media.
Through separate deals, Megalopolis previously secured distribution in the UK (Entertainment Film Distributors Limited), France (Le Pacte), Germany, Austria, and Switzerland (Constantin Film), Italy (Eagle Pictures), Spain (Tripictures), Australia (Madman Entertainment), Benelux (September Films), Bulgaria (Profilm), the Czech Republic and Slovakia (Film Europe), Ex-Yugoslavia (MCF Megacom Film), Greece (Feelgood Entertainment), Hungary (Mozinet), Israel (Lev Cinemas), Morocco (Facility Event), Portugal (Midas Filmes), Romania (Independenta Film), Scandinavia (Njutafilms), and Turkey (Bir Film). Recently added territories are the Middle East (Cinewaves), Poland (Gutek), Ukraine and Baltics (Ad Astra), Tunisia (Retinia), Indonesia (Prima Cinema), and the Philippines (Pioneer). Goodfellas is in advanced negotiations for Latin America and Brazil, and in negotiations with the rest of Asia, according to a press release.
Coppola’s epic features a star-studded ensemble that includes two-time Oscar nominee Adam Driver (Marriage Story), Giancarlo Esposito (Star Wars: The Mandalorian), Nathalie Emmanuel (the Fast and the Furious franchise), Aubrey Plaza (Agatha All Along), Shia LaBeouf (Transformers), Laurence Fishburne (the Matrix films), Talia Shire (Rocky), Jason Schwartzman (The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songs & Snakes), Kathryn Hunter (Poor Things), Grace VanderWaal (Stargirl), Chloe Fineman (Saturday Night Live), James Remar (Oppenheimer), D.B. Sweeney (Coppola’s Gardens of Stone), and Dustin Hoffman (Rain Man).
Megalopolis is “a Roman Epic fable set in an imagined ModernAmerica,” per the official plot description. “The City of New Rome must change, causing conflict betweenCesar Catilina (Driver), a genius artist who seeks to leap into a utopian,idealistic future, and his opposition, Mayor Franklyn Cicero (Esposito), whoremains committed to a regressive status quo, perpetuating greed,special interests, and partisan warfare. Torn between them is socialiteJulia Cicero (Emmanuel), the mayor’s daughter, whose love for Cesar has divided herloyalties, forcing her to discover what she truly believes humanitydeserves.
Written, produced, and directed by Coppola, Megalopolis is produced by Fred Roos (Apocalypse Now), Barry Hirsch (After Midnight), and Michael Bederman (Motherless Brooklyn), and executive produced by Anahid Nazarian (Twixt), Barrie Osborne (The Lord of the Rings trilogy), and Darren Demetre (American Animals).
