Sneak peek: Coppola unveils ‘Megalopolis,’ rewritten 300 times

Francis Ford Coppola’s much-anticipated film, “Megalopolis,” has generated significant buzz following the release of its first look. In an interview with Vanity Fair, Coppola disclosed that he meticulously revised the screenplay approximately 300 times and has personally funded the ambitious $120 million project by selling a portion of his winery estate in Northern California.

“Megalopolis” features Adam Driver and Nathalie Emmanuel in leading roles. The first look image captures the two stars intently focused on something off-camera. The film draws inspiration from H.G. Wells’s “Things to Come” and is set in a city resembling New York after it has suffered extensive devastation. Adam Driver portrays an idealistic architect eager to rebuild the city into something superior to its former state, while Giancarlo Esposito plays the city’s corrupt mayor who strives to maintain the status quo.

The plot thickens with the mayor’s socialist daughter, who finds herself romantically entangled with Driver’s character. The ensemble cast includes notable names such as Aubrey Plaza, Shia LaBeouf, Dustin Hoffman, Jon Voight, Laurence Fishburne, Talia Shire, and Jason Schwartzman.

In a conversation with Variety, Coppola clarified a common misconception about his preparation for the film, stating he wasn’t continuously working on the screenplay for 40 years. Instead, he was gathering ideas and materials which he found intriguing for a potential screenplay. Coppola eventually conceived the idea of a Roman epic transposed to modern-day America, which he has been developing intermittently over the past twelve years.

Reflecting on his extensive career, Coppola expressed a desire to identify and embrace his personal style through this project, aspiring to understand it fully in his later years.

“Megalopolis” concluded production last year and is scheduled to have its world premiere at the Cannes Film Festival in May, where it will compete in the main competition.