It's hard to ignore the cinematic enigma that is Megalopolis, Francis Ford Coppola's long-awaited passion project. With a budget of $136 million, this ambitious film hit theaters this past weekend, opening to a modest $4 million in box office earnings. Audiences have been divided, as evidenced by the D+ CinemaScore and a 5.6/10 rating on IMDb, while PostTrak reports a 45% positive score. However, Coppola remains unfazed by the initial lukewarm reception, drawing an intriguing parallel to his 1979 masterpiece Apocalypse Now.
During an interview with Forbes, Coppola compared the initial confusion surrounding Megalopolis to the public's reaction to Apocalypse Now upon its release: “There was an ambivalent confusion because it was clearly a film not made with any rules,” he remarked. He believes Megalopolis will follow a similar trajectory, gaining traction over time through rewatching: “My hunch is that people are going to see it again… each time they see it, it becomes a different movie.”
This statement rings true, as Megalopolis is unlike anything we've seen before. Its 130-minute runtime is packed with layers of meaning, intricate visual details, and moments that are, as Coppola himself puts it, “not boring.” With an all-star cast led by Adam Driver, Nathalie Emmanuel, Forest Whitaker, and Laurence Fishburne, the film tackles ambitious themes, with each rewatch revealing more of its depth. Cult status seems almost inevitable.
Coppola's risk-taking nature is evident in his own financial investment. Spending $136 million of his own money might seem reckless, but Coppola insists it was worth every cent: “I put the risk in the movie… When I die, I'll say, ‘I got to do that.'” While the film may not be a box office success today, its long-term legacy is likely to grow, much like Apocalypse Now.
With time, Megalopolis might just evolve into a film classic, rediscovered and celebrated by future generations. For now, it remains a daring, bold cinematic gamble.
