At long last, Francis Ford Coppola’s Megalopolis has a home in North America. Lionsgate Studios has picked up rights for the U.S. and Canada, arriving in theaters and in IMAX on September 27. This marks a long-term partnership with Coppola, as Lionsgate previously handled the director’s recent re-edits including Apocalypse Now Final Cut, The Conversation, The Cotton Club Encore, Tucker: The Man and His Dream, and One From the Heart: Reprise. Lionsgate Studios will also handle the distribution of Megalopolis across all home entertainment platforms.
Through separate deals, the film 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.
Fogelson said, “Francis is a legend. For many of us, his gifts to cinema were one of the inspirations to devote our own careers to film. 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. Written, produced, and directed by Francis Ford Coppola, the film is produced by Fred Roos, Barry Hirsch, and Michael Bederman, and executive produced by Anahid Nazarian, Barrie Osborne, and Darren Demetre.
Luke Hicks said in his review, “If you dove head first into Francis Ford Coppola’s Megalopolis, you would get a concussion. The filmmaker’s supposed opus––a glitzy, gargantuan, long-gestating project that he conceived of in the late ‘70s, attempted to make more than once in the ‘80s, rewrote countless times over the last four decades, and eventually self-financed for $120 million due to lack of external support––has had cinephiles like myself drooling over its scope and potential for years. Alas, there is no deep end in this pool. Don’t let that deter you though. Receive it with a healthy dose of doubt and let it reshape (and perhaps healthily lower) your expectations. Because, at the end of the day, for better and for worse, in awe and in tired confusion, Megalopolis is a garish wonder to behold.”