Megalopolis Reveals First Look At Sci-Fi Epic From Master Filmmaker

By Britta DeVore | Published

Francis Ford Coppola is dreaming big for his latest project, Megalopolis, and the film’s debut image is proof of that. The image in question sees Adam Driver’s (House of Gucci) character peering through a telescope with a hexagonal frame at the end, presumably looking at the city in front of him. Standing behind is his romantic partner, played by Game of Thrones alum Nathalie Emmanuel, who appears worried and exhausted with whatever Driver’s character is up to. Behind her, a city – not unlike New York or Chicago – can be seen burning to the ground.

First Look At The Upcoming Epic

Although it’s just one image, the shot perfectly captures the plot that’s been teased for Megalopolis so far. The movie is a battle between age groups after an unforeseen accident wipes out a major metropolitan area. While Caesar (Adam Driver) wants to build something new from the ashes of the fallout, the mayor, Frank Cicero (Giancarlo Esposito), thinks that he knows the best steps to take to restore the hulking concrete jungle to its former glory. Stuck between the men is Frank’s daughter and Caesar’s partner, Julia (Nathalie Emmanuel), who doesn’t have time for either man’s plans and turns inward for answers.

One Of The Greatest Casts Of All Time

If you thought the cast was already stacked with Adam Driver, Nathalie Emmanuel, and Giancarlo Esposito, you’d be right, but Francis Ford Coppola didn’t stop there. Filling out the call sheet for Megalopolis are names that include Jon Voight (the National Treasure franchise), Aubrey Plaza (Parks and Recreation), Shia LaBeouf (Holes), Laurence Fishburne (the Matrix film series), Jason Schwartzman (The Darjeeling Limited), and many more.

Set Aside For Other Projects

francis ford coppola

Megalopolis has long been a passion project that Francis Ford Coppola wanted to make but couldn’t seem to get up and running. The movie’s been rattling around in the legendary director’s brain since he was a child growing up in New York City but something always came in the way of him bringing it to life. He would pick it up only to set it down repeatedly and focus on other titles like Bram Stoker’s Dracula and The Rainmaker.

Coppola’s Return To Directing

Finally, the stars would align and give Francis Ford Coppola the time, energy, and creative team needed to bring his passion project to fruition, and it couldn’t have come at a better time. The legendary filmmaker has taken quite a pause from his craft, with Megalopolis marking his return to directing after more than a decade-long hiatus since 2011’s Twixt. With this information alone, audiences will likely turn out for the man who introduced the world to the Corleone family in The Godfather film series and brought them onto the front lines of the Vietnam War in Apocalypse Now.

A Major Role For Adam Driver

With lies, deception, political aspirations, and dirty dealings running through the veins of Megalopolis, the debut image is just a teaser of what’s to come from Francis Ford Coppola’s dream project. Judging by his track record, the filmmaker’s latest title will deliver a hard-hitting story that will give audiences something to discuss after leaving the cinema. Plus, performances from names like Adam Driver and Nathalie Emmanuel certainly don’t hurt either. As of this writing, Megalopolis hasn’t announced a release date, but stay tuned for more information.


Source: Vanity Fair