Megalopolis
Summary
Francis Ford Coppola ’s new skill fiction epicMegalopolislooks like George Lucas ’ long - clock time Quaker and former producing cooperator has in the end made his ownStar Warsmovie . Megalopolisis Coppola ’s first film since 2011’sTwixt . It ’s a passion project that he ’s been dreaming about since the 1970s , and after putting up $ 120 million of his own money , theApocalypse Nowdirector has finally made this challenging project a realism . Megalopolisrevolves around an exalted designer who sets out to reconstruct New York City after it ’s wipe out by a catastrophe .
Like Steven Spielberg , Coppola is an honest-to-goodness friend offellow visionary George Lucas . While Coppola ’s films tend to be ground , character - drive dramas likeThe GodfatherandThe Conversation , Lucas ’ films have transported viewers to a galax far , far away for epic optical maser - sword poof tales spanning centuries . WithMegalopolis , Coppola is at long last trying his hand at the kind of epical blockbuster filmmaking that Lucas – and Spielberg , for that matter – pioneered with their former classic . In many ways , it ’s like Coppola has ultimately made his ownStar Warsmovie .
Francis Ford Coppola’s History With George Lucas & Star Wars
Coppola and Lucas first met on the readiness of Coppola ’s 1968 phantasy musicalFinian ’s Rainbow . Coppola was frustrated with the studio apartment ’s cost - slip and interference on the exercise set , and his burgeon friendship with Lucas – a fellow film maker of a exchangeable age – help him get through this unmanageable period of time . They became so confining that Coppola hired Lucas to work out as a production assistant on his next photographic film , 1969’sThe Rain multitude . In decree to avoid the kind of executive tampering they faced onFinian ’s Rainbow , Coppola and Lucas co - founded their own studio , American Zoetrope ( the same studio apartment that just madeMegalopolis ) .
Despite their nigh friendly relationship , Coppola was n’t a huge supporter ofStar Wars . In fact , Spielberg was the only one of Lucas ’ friends who sawStar warfare ’ potential . Coppola deem Lucas ’ eldritch little space movie to be a wastefulness of his time , and encouraged him to make a film with more mainstream appeal ( which becameAmerican Graffiti ) . Still , as a near henchman of Lucas ’ , Coppola provided Lucas with plenty of his own government note and advice while he was take in his initialStar Warsmovies . Coppola ’s girl , Sofia Coppola , has a small role as one of Padmé ’s handmaidens inThe Phantom Menace .
Megalopolis Is An Ambitious Sci-Fi Movie – Mirroring George Lucas' Star Wars Prequels
Coppola is n’t literally making his ownStar Warsmovie , but withMegalopolis , it is as if he ’s make his ownStar Warsmovie in a way – and more specifically , it ’s like he ’s making aStar Warsprequel . What Coppola is doing by ego - financingMegalopolis , working outside the studio organisation on a expectant , ambitious sci - fi projection with smash hit scale , is exchangeable to what Lucas did with theStar Warsprequel trilogy . Like Lucas , Coppola has given himself complete creative controlby create his megahit in - theater . And , like Lucas , he ’s had to wait for technology to get up to his ambitiousness .
And it ’s not just behind the scenes thatMegalopolishas similarities with theStar Warsprequel trilogy . Some of the imagery of a dystopian urban metropolis looks similar toStar warfare ’ city - planet of Coruscant . Plus , thematically , Coppola is dealing with the same ideas and historical analogies that Lucas explored in theStar Warsprequels . The fall of New York inMegalopolisreimagines the surrender of the Roman Empire in a sci - fi setting , just like the capitulation of the Galactic Republic in Lucas ’ prequel trilogy was a sci - fi reimagining of the fall of the Roman Empire .
Megalopoliswill compete for the Palme d’Or at Cannes , where it ’s dress to have its premiere on May 16 .
Megalopolis Is Using New Technology Like The Star Wars Prequels
Lucas pushed CGI onwards by leaps and bounds with the groundbreaking output of theStar Warsprequels . reckoner - generate issue had already been pioneered to provide a shapeshifting liquid state - alloy Terminator inT2 : Judgment Dayand glimpses of realistic - looking life , breathing dinosaur inJurassic Park . But theStar Warsprequels took CGI over the finish line with in full realise worlds and total backgrounds add in position . The motion - seizure technology used to work Ahmed Best into Jar Jar Binks was particularly trailblazing . Some of theStar Warsprequels ’ CGI looks a little dated now , but it was groundbreaking in its meter .
Megalopolismight not be quite as radical as theStar Warsprequel trilogy , but it is using some brand - new filmmaking engineering . Coppola has used never - before - see tech in the making ofMegalopolis . It ’s the first ever feature of speech film inject on the light-emitting diode volume stage on the fresh open up Prysm Stagesat Trilith Studios in Atlanta ( viaIndieWire ) . The movie utilizes virtual product through a company called NEP Virtual Studios . Coppola is blending prove - and - true old - schooling techniques with the practical production techniques popularized by Jon Favreau’sStar WarsseriesThe Mandalorian .
Megalopolis Already Sounds As Divisive As The Star Wars Prequels
TheStar Warsprequel trilogy was notable for its polarized response , with extremely interracial reactions from both critics and buff . Some say the prequels destroy the dealership ; others say they ’re misunderstood masterpieces . Based onthe other reactions toMegalopolis , it ’s looking like Coppola ’s liberal - budget epic will be just as divisive as Lucas’ . Megalopolishas been described as everything from “ bizarre ” to having “ zero commercial prospects”to the grabby quote , “ unflinching in how bats**t it is . ” Whether it ’s a cracking motion-picture show or a terrible moving picture , it ’s bound to elicit a wide range of opinions , much like theStar Warsprequels .
Megalopolis Has Bigger Problems Than The Star Wars Prequels Did
While there are many similarity , both on and off - screen , between Coppola’sMegalopolisand Lucas’Star Warsprequel trilogy , the former is a much big gamble than the latter . TheStar Warsprequels were guarantee hits , no matter the lineament . The Phantom Menacehad audiences lining up around the occlusion just because they had n’t seen a newStar Warsmovie in nearly two decennary . It might have polarize the sentiment of all the people who catch it , but they all made sure to view it . Megalopolisdoesn’t have anywhere near the same amount of wrench with audiences .
TheStar Warsprequels were always going to make a shipload of money , butMegalopolisis far from insure corner function achiever . twentieth Century Fox was rifle to put Lucas’Star Warsprequels into theatre around the world , no matter what shape they were in , butMegalopolisis contend to secure a distribution deal . After Coppola screened the film for likely exhibitors , not a lot of theaters were bite . Megalopolisis having a tough fourth dimension even getting into dramatics – will audience show up for it ? Time will tell , but it ’s far from the dependable betThe Phantom Menacewas .
informant : IndieWire
Custom Image by Yailin Chacon
Cast
Megalopolis , directed by Francis Ford Coppola , is a visionary 2024 cinema explore the ambitious aspiration of reconstructing New York City into a Sion , following a devastating calamity . The tale delve into the friction between the architect ’s utopian imaginativeness and the political and personal convulsion that ensues . With a star - constellate mould , the plastic film examines themes of ambition , power , and the human spirit ’s resiliency against the backdrop of a futuristic metropolis .
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.
