The Struggle of a $120 Million Sci-Fi Film as Studios Reject it

Megalopolis: what fate for a $120 million film

The last film of Francis Ford Coppola would be encountering distribution problems. Indeed, the project, which notably cost 120 million dollars, part of which came from the director's pocket, would be threatened according to Eklecty-City. As a reminder, Megalopolis was previewed on March 28 during a screening at Universal CityWalk Imax. The biggest distributors from around the world were present, such as Netflix, Disney, Warner Bros. And Paramount. The reviews that followed were unfortunately rather mixed.

This film is seen as a risk by distributors. The market position of this feature film would not necessarily be good, according to some indiscretions. However, the managers of streaming platforms are well aware of the talent that the director of The Godfather has. They admit to being faced with a complicated choice: that of support Ford Coppola or commercial reality. Faced with these refusals, the film could still be of interest to small specialized labels.

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One reason for the skepticism of major distribution companies could be the cost of promoting Megalopolis. In fact, the director of the film announced that he needed an envelope at least $100 to $120 million. The plan would be to invest up to 40 million for national promotion and up to 80 million dollars worldwide. However nowadays, it is quite difficult to find a company willing to invest so much in such a risky film. One solution could nevertheless be for Coppola to pay part of this campaign.

Megalopolis takes us to the near future, within New York. The city is plagued by corruption, overpopulation and environmental degradation. Lucius Dante is the protagonist of the film. He dreams of transforming the metropolis into an architectural and social utopia. Ford Coppola addresses the themes of power, social responsibility and the quest for utopia. The film attempts to ask deep questions about the human capacity to make the world a better place. On May 17, it will be broadcast at the Cannes Film Festival, which will be one of its last chances to resolve its distribution problem.