While Francis Ford Coppola’s sprawling decades-in-the-making epic Megalopolis may be nearing its long-awaited release, the legendary filmmaker has no intentions of riding off into the proverbial sunset just yet. In a revealing statement, the 84-year-old auteur disclosed that he has already begun developing his next ambitious cinematic endeavor in the wake of completing the highly-anticipated roman empire-inspired saga.
“One way I knew Megalopolis was finished is that I’ve begun work on a new film,” Coppola told Deadline ahead of hosting Megalopolis’ first screening for prospective distributors and industry elite. “It won’t be cheap by any means, but I don’t know it can be called ‘an epic film.'”
Such a revelation firmly puts to rest any notions that the Godfather director would be retiring from filmmaking after the herculean effort required to bring his $120 million self-funded passion project Megalopolis to life. The film, which centers on the downfall of a futuristic utopian society, has been an all-consuming obsession for Coppola dating back to its initial conception during the production of his 1979 masterwork Apocalypse Now.
After spending decades writing and rewriting the ever-evolving screenplay, selling off a substantial portion of his business ventures to fund the endeavor, and even embarking on a physical transformation that saw him shed 75 pounds to increase stamina,
Coppola at long last began rolling cameras on the star-studded production in late 2022. The film boasts an ensemble cast featuring acting heavyweights like Adam Driver, Nathalie Emmanuel, Giancarlo Esposito, Jon Voight, Laurence Fishburne, Aubrey Plaza, and Dustin Hoffman among many others.
While some early reactions to Megalopolis’ first screening have been mixed at best, with sources describing it as “unflinchingly batshit crazy” yet also “crackling with ideas that fuse the past with the future,” Coppola appears decidedly unconcerned about any negativity. The filmmaker has spoken at length about his deeply-rooted belief in an artist’s obligation to take bold creative risks, asserting “I believe in America” and suggesting Megalopolis aims to highlight how the nation’s founding ideals were inextricably shaped by “classical learning.”
Ultimately, the tepid critical response seems to have done little to dull Coppola’s ambitions or creative drive. By his own admission, the completion of Megalopolis has not satiated his artistic hunger but rather stoked the fires for his next grand cinematic venture – albeit one that may be more contained in scale compared to the Roman Empire-inspired spectacle he has spent the better part of four decades obsessively realizing.
As one of the true giants and uncompromising visionaries of his craft, Francis Ford Coppola’s sheer tenacity and enduring passion for filmmaking is nothing short of awe-inspiring.
While the industry eagerly awaits Megalopolis’ potential arrival on the festival circuit and to see how audiences respond, the master craftsman is already forging ahead into uncharted territory with his latest top-secret project. For a director who has spent his life reimagining the art of storytelling on an epic scale, Coppola’s relentless creative spirit shows no signs of waning anytime soon.