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Summary
- Megalopolis faces familiar production issues as Coppola’s past films, but its ambitious vision may lead to future success.
- Like Apocalypse Now, Megalopolis is met with early criticism, but history shows that Coppola’s vision can withstand initial setbacks.
- Despite financial struggles and distribution challenges, Megalopolis has the potential to become a cinematic success akin to Coppola’s past works.
The early response to Francis Ford Coppola’s upcoming Megalopolis repeats the same mistakes as his $104.8 million movie from 45 years ago. Despite the many production issues surrounding it, Megalopolis‘ premiere has been confirmed, which is a victory in the film’s complicated history. Megaolopolis will be Coppola’s first movie in over a decade, and while early reactions to Megalopolis suggest that the upcoming dystopian science fiction film will be the director’s most ambitious, its divisive early reception strongly mirror the same response from one of his classics.
From the film’s troubled production to its star-studded cast to Coppola taking on a genre that he’s never worked in before, there are may exciting things to expect from Megalopolis. Although the early screenings for Megalopolis don’t bode well, the situation at large strongly hearkens back to one of Coppola’s most infamous productions. While things were particualrly rough for the film in question, it has since gone down in history as one of the best of its genre largely due to Coppola’s tenacity and vision. As such, Megalopolis could enjoy a similar fate.
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Coppola’s Megalopolis Finance & Release Problems Are Similar To Apocalypse Now
Megalopolis’ Major Distribution Issues Are Very Similar To Apocalypse Now’s Financial Setbacks
While Coppola was able to earn the $120 million through selling his winery, finding distribution has been another uphill battle in and of itself.
Although slated for a 2024 release, Megalopolis has been in development for over 40 years, with much of the film’s production issues stemming from serious financial setbacks. As such, Coppola sold Francis Ford Coppola Winery and Virginia Dare Winery to fund the $120 million sci-fi blockbuster. While Coppola was able to earn the $120 million through selling his winery, finding distribution has been another uphill battle in and of itself. Due to Coppola’s absence from filmmaking and the film’s bizarre plot, Coppola has struggled to find major distribution for Megalopolis, which perfectly mirrors Apocalypse Now‘s troubled production.
Megalopolis‘ production is like Apocalpyse Now, since both movies are ambitious and require that specific yet expensive demands are met. Although Coppola was already tested with both movies in The Godfather franchise, investors were still leary about supporting Apocalypse Now given its sensitive subjects, timing coinciding with real-life war protests, and on-location shooting in Asia. As such, Coppola invested nearly every cent of his own money into Apocalypse Now, which would have ruined him had the movie been a commercial failure.
Megalopolis’ Early Reactions Mirror What Happened With Apocalypse Now
Apocalypse Now Was Deemed Too Ambitious And Lacking In Any Real Merit Upon Release
Although
Apocalypse Now
captures the essence of what war feels like, critics posited that the film was neither an anti or pro-war film.
Apocalypse Now is a classic in the epic war film genre, and the brilliant performances of each of its actors, commitment to authenticity, and depictions of war’s impact on one’s pscyhe and soul helped earn the film its esteemed distinction. However, the early response to the 1979 war epic wasn’t as favorable as the more contemporary responses to the film. One of the biggest issues that critics took with Apocalypse Now was the film’s scope and ambition. Although Apocalypse Now captures the essence of what war feels like, critics posited that the film was neither an anti or pro-war film.
Praising Coppola’s vision, critics also criticized the director for juxtaposing horrific scenes of violence with euphoric scenes of explosions and spectacle, which muddles its overall message. Additionally, critics felt that the film was overlong, having lost much of its momentum after its second act, which made much of its third act feel decidedly slow and anticlimactic. Nevertheless, Apocalypse Now has enjoyed far better reviews since its theatrical release, with the consensus being that it provides viewers with an unflinching and engaging look at war. Given Megalopolis‘ similar reviews, it could also become a future success.
Apocalypse Now Bodes Well For Francis Ford Coppola’s Megalopolis
Apocalypse Now Is Regarded By Critics And Audiences As One Of Coppola’s Best Despite Its Production Issues
While it remains to be seen what kind of impact
Megalopolis
will have should it receive a wide theatrical release, there is hope for it.
Despite the harsh criticism levied against Apocalypse Now when it debuted in 1979, it grossed over $100 million on a budget of an estimated $31 million, launched the careers of many of its principal actors, and has gone down in history as an all-time great war movie. Furthermore, despite Apocalypse Now‘s less-than-favorable initial reception, many other movies, TV shows, video games, etc. have paid homage to the film well after its original release. While it remains to be seen what kind of impact Megalopolis will have should it receive a wide theatrical release, there is hope for it.
Hollywood works differently nowadays compared to the 1970s. In the ’70s, filmmakers like Coppola, Martin Scorsese, George Lucas, and Steven Spielberg were dominant forces in the industry, which meant their sensibilities strongly influenced the industry. With the Hollywood being in a different place and Coppola being without a hit for years, it highlights Megalopolis‘ financial issues even more. However, audiences are more likely to check out a movie like Megalopolis now, than in the ’70s, so if a major distributor were to take a chance on the film, it could repeat Apocalypse Now‘s success.
Megalopolis (2024)
Megalopolis, directed by Francis Ford Coppola, is a visionary 2024 film exploring the ambitious dream of reconstructing New York City into a utopia, following a devastating disaster. The narrative delves into the clash between the architect’s utopian vision and the political and personal turmoil that ensues. With a star-studded cast, the film examines themes of ambition, power, and the human spirit’s resilience against the backdrop of a futuristic metropolis.
- Cast
- Adam Driver , Forest Whitaker , Nathalie Emmanuel , Jon Voight , Laurence Fishburne , Aubrey Plaza , Shia LaBeouf , Jason Schwartzman , Grace VanderWaal , Kathryn Hunter , Talia Shire , Dustin Hoffman , D. B. Sweeney , Giancarlo Esposito
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