Screengrab from 'Megapolis' teaser trailer
Credit: YouTube/Francis Ford Coppola
Francis Ford Coppola waged war with studio heads throughout the making of The Godfather. Production on his 1979 Vietnam War epic, Apocalypse Now, was so troubled -- there was a typhoon and a near-fatal heart attack -- that it was chronicled in a documentary.
So it's not exactly a surprise that his latest movie, Megalopolis, a nearly 2-1/2-hour futuristic fable about the battle between art and greed that stars Adam Driver, arrived in theaters Friday mired in controversy.
The 85-year-old filmmaker's self-financed passion project, which he conceived all the way back in the 1970s, has earned headlines about a reportedly chaotic shoot, allegations of misconduct and questions about the film's commercial prospects. While we wait to see whether it will find a place in the canon of Coppola masterpieces or go down as a $120 million mistake, here is a guide to the movie's complicated history.
When did this all start?
More than four decades ago. Yes, you read that right -- Coppola first had the idea toward the end of filming Apocalypse Now in the late 1970s. The new project, he told Film Comment in 1983, would confront big questions -- the why and what of existence. It simmered on the back burner for years -- Coppola scrapped and reenvisioned the script in each subsequent decade -- until he finally began shooting it in 2022.
Why did it take so long to make?
Coppola followed up Apocalypse Now with One From the Heart, a 1982 musical romance that bombed at the box office, grossing a mere $636,796 against a $26 million budget. That meant he was stuck making studio-friendly films for a decade so he could pay off his debts. (A film called Megalopolis, after all, hardly portends a small budget.)
But even after The Godfather Part III and Bram Stoker's Dracula put him back on track, studios remained cautious about signing on, fearing a repeat of the infamously chaotic production of Apocalypse Now. Also, after Sept. 11, the idea of a film about New York City being rebuilt after being nearly destroyed hit a little too, well, close to home.
So how did he finally pay for it?
After experiencing late-career success as a winemaker -- he sold part of his California wine estate in 2021 -- Coppola self-financed the $120 million project.
It wasn't the first time he'd bet on himself, either: Coppola also poured millions of his own money into shooting Apocalypse Now, and he landed in bankruptcy over One From the Heart.
What is "Megalopolis" about?
The film is an epic tale about an architect, played by Driver, who seeks to rebuild a futuristic New York City -- and who also, handily, has the ability to stop time. He butts heads with future New York's mayor, played by Giancarlo Esposito, while also being romantically involved with the mayor's daughter (Nathalie Emmanuel). The film also features Aubrey Plaza as a journalist named Wow Platinum, as well as Jon Voight and Shia LaBeouf.
What was production like?
Unconventional, to say the least. There were reports of disorder on the set. But Driver, the film's star, has defended the improvisation-heavy process, which he called one of the best shooting experiences of his career.
"It felt like experimental theater and that's what made it feel rebellious and exciting," Driver said at a news conference at the Cannes Film Festival, where the film premiered in May.
Why was Coppola's behavior on set an issue?
In May, two days before the film's premiere at Cannes, The Guardian, citing anonymous sources, reported that Coppola had allegedly tried to kiss female extras during the filming of a nightclub scene.
An executive co-producer, Darren Demetre, came to Coppola's defense, telling The Hollywood Reporter that he "was never aware of any complaints of harassment or ill behavior during the course of the project."
Coppola, Demetre said, had "walked around the set to establish the spirit of the scene by giving kind hugs and kisses on the cheek to the cast and background players. It was his way to help inspire and establish the club atmosphere, which was so important to the film."
In an interview published in The New York Times, Coppola himself rebutted the allegations, telling the chief film critic, Manohla Dargis, that he was "not touchy-feely" and "too shy" to have made such advances.
In July, Variety published an article that included a video shot by a crew member during the nightclub scene that showed Coppola walking through a crowd of people dancing and appearing to stop several women to hug them or kiss them on the cheek.
In an interview published in August by Rolling Stone, Coppola acknowledged kissing young women on the cheek during the scene, though he told the publication that they were "young women I knew."
Why have lawsuits been filed?
In September, an extra who worked on the film, Lauren Pagone, who identified herself as one of the dancers seen in the Variety videos, sued Coppola, accusing him of civil battery and civil assault.
Coppola filed his own lawsuit two days later against Variety and two of its editors, asserting that its report was false and libelous. He is seeking at least $15 million in damages.
Penske Media Corp., which publishes Variety, issued a statement saying it stood by its reporters.
Why was distribution another issue?
The mixed reviews out of Cannes, coupled with Coppola's financial demands, meant the film struggled to find a distributor. Lionsgate finally acquired the domestic rights in June after Coppola agreed to cover marketing costs.
Why did the trailer cause controversy?
In August, Lionsgate dropped a trailer for Megalopolis that leaned into its polarized reception by citing quotes from well-known critics who had initially dismissed some now-classic Coppola films like The Godfather and Apocalypse Now. The only problem? The quotes weren't real, as Vulture magazine first reported.
Lionsgate pulled the trailer, saying in a statement that it had "screwed up" by fabricating the quotes and it apologized to the critics involved and to Coppola.
Will there be a performance element?
In a much-talked-about part of the film's Cannes premiere, a man stood at the front of the theater with a microphone and asked questions that Driver's character answered on-screen, effectively replicating a news conference.
Coppola has said he hoped to include the live moment in screenings across the country, but, as of Friday, details weren't yet available.
What do critics think of the film?
Megalopolis has sharply divided critics: Some have dismissed it as gargantuan folly, while others have praised its wild ambition. Its current Rotten Tomatoes score stands at 52 per cent fresh.
What are its Oscar chances?
Not great. Kyle Buchanan, the Times' awards season columnist, said it's hard to imagine Megalopolis contending in any of the major categories -- though the production design, he noted, was "pretty impressive."