Francis Ford Coppola is back and… He’s stronger than ever? Megalopolis pairs the legendary director with a killer cast, including Adam Driver, Nathalie Emmanuel, Aubrey Plaza, Giancarlo Esposito, Shia LeBeouf, Laurence Fishburne, Dustin Hoffman, Jon Voight, and Jason Schwartzman, among many others. ‘Film Bros’ are procclaiming Megalopolis‘ arrival as the re-birth of modern cinema, after those pesky superhero movies ‘killed’ the independant scene (despite independant cinema still being alive and well, with the rise in power of smaller directors, ‘Indie’ studios like A24, and an incessant amount of MUBI adverts).

Following a major disaster in the future, Caesar Catalina (Driver) tries to rebuild New York into a new utopia. The cityscape is filled with glistening skyscrapers, burlesque circus parties, and weeping stone statues. Megalopolis is over 40-years in the making. Coppola wrote the original script back in the 1980s, but the project was shelved – thanks in large part to Coppola’s financial debts. The film has since gone through an incredibly turbulous production schedule. Principal photography first began in 2001. Back then, the film’s cast included equally, if not more so, notable names like Uma Thurman, Robert De Niro, Leonardo DiCaprio, James Gandolfini, Nicolas Cage, and Russell Crowe. However, production was halted following the September 11 attacks, which were reportedly predicted by a scene in the script. Megalopolis was then completely abandoned in 2007, and Coppola didn’t resume production until 2019. With no studios willing to back the project, Coppola self-funded Megalopolis (as he had previously done with Apocalypse Now) with an estimated budget of $120 million.

The first official screening for Megalopolis was at this year’s Cannes Film Festival and, to the chumps like us looking from the outside and collecting opinions from the myriad of first reviews and reactions, no one knows what to make of the film. Following the premiere, reports and clips showed the film receiving a 7-minute standing ovation. However, the same day, new reports also suggested that audiences audibly booed the film during the screening. These reports are unconfirmed, but their likelihood wasn’t helped by the divisive reviews that quickly followed.

Megalopolis appears to be the most high-profile ‘Marmite’ film in years. Outlets like TIME Magazine, RogerEbert.com, and Little White Lies had heaps of praise for the film. LWLies‘ review stated:

“Ignore the haters – this is the kaleidoscopic, enriching, Wellsian vision of a grand old master with nothing to lose.”

– Little White Lies

Meanwhile, the film has been absolutely slated in other reviews. BBC, THR, and Discussing Film panned the film, describing it as “a good movie? Not by a long stretch.” Discussing Film‘s review detested the film, rating it 1 star out of 5, and saying:

“Megalopolis is a grand failure of epic proportions, where not even the actors on screen know what the hell is going on. Francis Ford Coppola has lost his magic touch here, as this could be his worst film to date.”

– Discussing Film

Following its Cannes premiere, the film currently sits at 52% on Rotten Tomatoes. Does this actually mean anything, especially in an age where audiences trust critcs less than ever? Well, as a critic (in the loosest meaning of the word), I say yes, because all critics are mentally and intellectually superior to the common punters, waking up every morning and praying to our posters of Alfred Hitchcock before hibernating in our living rooms with our 100th re-watch of Scorsese’s Mean Streets and a laptop surfing Reddit to tell people how wrong they are for liking the Fast & Furious franchise. However, as someone who hated Challengers when all the critics loved it, I say no… critics are stupid. Ignore them. In all seriousness, the reviews shouldn’t tell you how to think and feel (I’m the only one who’s allowed to do that). However, they are a good indicator of how you should approach the film when watching it for the first time. In the case of Megalopolis, you apparently need to be open to its bizarre concept, surrealist elements, and lengthy runtime.

The divsiveness around Megalopolis started before it’s Cannes screening, as executives who were shown an early cut in an attempt to find a distributor for the film, were left utterly gobsmacked, reportedyl describing the film as “unsellable.” Other reports from executive screenings include quotes from audiences, who called the film “the crazy work of an ambitious mad man.” However, the film’s cast are devout supporters of the project, with it’s lead, Adam Driver, telling The Face that Megalopolis is “undefinable” in the very best way. Aubrey Plaza, who plays a trashy TV Journalist in the film, has defined Megalopolis as a “beautiful nightmare.”

Divisive reactions are nothing new for Coppola. His, 1979 classic, Apocalypse Now, was equally devisive upon its release. Some critics saw it for the smash-hit it would later become, while others crushed the film as a lazy adaptation of Joseph Conrad’s Heart of Darkness with a Vietnam vaneer. Coppola has recently addressed Megalopolis‘s similarly divisive reactions. Speaking to The Daily Beast, Coppola said:

“This is exactly what happened with Apocalypse Now 40 years ago. There were very contradicting views expressed, but the audience never stopped going to see the film, and to this day Apocalypse Now is still in very profitable distribution. I am sure this will be the same situation with Megalopolis. It will stand the test of time.”

– Francis Ford Coppola

Coppola’s die-hard fans, a mix of genuine cinepiles, and obnoxious film bros who felt offended by being called out in Greta Gerwig’s Barbie, believe that Megalopolis will stand the test of time and become regarded as a misunderstood masterpiece. The same phenomenon recently happened to Damien Chazelle’s Babylon, starring Margot Robbie and Brad Pitt. Upon its release in 2022, the film was slashed by critics as an over-long, over-funded mess. However, public opinion has recently swayed in favor of the film, with a myriad of Babylon haters now procclaiming they actually loved the film the entire time.

So what does this mean for the film’s future? Megalopolis has already secured distributors following its Cannes appearance. As well as being sold to several studios for international release, the film will also be getting a global IMAX release. However, no dates have been set for the film’s theatrical release. Regarding box office numbers, it’s almost impossible to tell at the moment – no matter what executives in suits might tell you. The film will likely dominate cinemas in its opening weekend, as audiences flock to witness Coppola’s “triumphant return.” Word of mouth is still surprisingly strong in the modern day, and social media reactions from influencers and amateur film buffs will likely have a greater influence on the film’s financial outcome.

You can watch the teaser trailer for Megaopolis below: