Francis Ford Coppola Says He Didn't Expect 'Megalopolis' to Align So Closely with Current Events

Francis Ford Coppola, the renowned American director, stated during a press conference at the Cannes Film Festival that he did not expect his new film 'Megalopolis' to align so closely with current events. He noted that 'Megalopolis' is an epic, science fiction, and allegorical work about the fall of the Roman Republic, and when he conceived the idea decades ago, he did not foresee its potential connection to contemporary American politics. He added that his goal was to create a Roman epic set in modern America. Coppola made these remarks a day after the premiere of 'Megalopolis' in the main competition section of the Cannes Festival, which received mixed reactions. He expressed that he never anticipated that today’s political climate would resemble the story of 'Megalopolis'. Coppola stated, 'What is happening today in America, and in our Republic and democracy, is exactly what caused Rome to lose its republic thousands of years ago.' He further remarked that the political situation is evolving in a way that could lead America to lose its republic. The press conference for 'Megalopolis' at the Cannes Film Festival highlighted the story of Caesar Catilina, a scholarly architect played by Adam Driver, who, in confrontation with the law-abiding mayor of New Rome, portrayed by Giancarlo Esposito, attempts to turn his utopian vision into reality. Esposito, who gained fame from his roles in 'Breaking Bad' and 'The Usual Suspects', shared during the press conference that he suddenly understood the story towards the end of the film, bringing tears to his eyes. He added that it was at that moment he realized he was not meant to know everything. Esposito mentioned that the film does not provide clear answers to all the questions it raises, but aims to inspire a collective dialogue on how to improve society, allowing people to hope for the future. Coppola, who has been nurturing this idea since the early 1980s, said no words could describe his feelings about seeing the final product on the big screen. The Oscar-winning director also indicated that, like many of his past works, he might make changes to 'Megalopolis' after its festival release. The 85-year-old Coppola added that for him, this project is complete as he has begun writing a new film, which is a good sign of 'Megalopolis' being finished. He began writing the screenplay for 'Megalopolis' in the 1980s. The film is reported to have been made with a budget of $120 million, produced with his personal investment. The cast of 'Megalopolis' includes Adam Driver, Giancarlo Esposito, Jon Voight, Laurence Fishburne, Aubrey Plaza, Shia LaBeouf, Chloe Fineman, Kathryn Hunter, and Dustin Hoffman. Francis Ford Coppola has won two Palme d'Or awards at the Cannes Film Festival for 'Apocalypse Now' and 'The Conversation'.