Legendary director Francis Ford Coppola defended his upcoming film, “Megalopolis” in an interview as one that features actors from a variety of political backgrounds. The filmmaker’s goal is to avoid having the movie “deemed some woke Hollywood production that’s simply lecturing viewers.”
Coppola, famous for films such as “The Godfather” series, as well as “Apocalypse Now” and “Bram Stoker’s Dracula,” recently gave an interview about his upcoming futuristic epic, “Megalopolis,” which will be released in September.
The passion project, into which Coppola has reportedly invested $120 million of his own fortune after pondering it for decades, will feature a wide range of famous actors, including Adam Driver, Giancarlo Esposito, Nathalie Emmanuel, Aubrey Plaza, Jon Voight, Laurence Fishburne, Shia LaBeouf, and many more.
During an interview with Rolling Stone Magazine, the magazine’s senior editor David Fear noted, “You cast Jon Voight in a role that bears a strong resemblance to Donald Trump, and I’m going to guess that there are some political viewpoints he holds that you don’t share.”
U.S. director Francis Ford Coppola arrives on stage during the Closing Ceremony at the 77th edition of the Cannes Film Festival in Cannes, southern France, on May 25, 2024. (CHRISTOPHE SIMON/AFP via Getty Images)
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Coppola offered a candid response, “What I didn’t want to happen is that we’re deemed some woke Hollywood production that’s simply lecturing viewers. The cast features people who were canceled at one point or another. There were people who are archconservatives and others who are extremely politically progressive. But we were all working on one film together. That was interesting, I thought.”
Fear later suggested that “‘Megalopolis’ is a film about the death and rebirth of a republic. And I think it’s safe to say that I feel like our republic is as close to being within its death throes—”
“As it’s ever been. Yes,” Coppola agreed. “Maybe the War of 1812. That was dicey, too. They burned the White House.”
The Internet Movie Database summarized the film as being one about how “The city of New Rome is the main conflict between Cesar Catilina, a brilliant artist in favor of a utopian future, and the greedy mayor Franklyn Cicero. Between them is Julia Cicero, her loyalty divided between her father and her beloved.”
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Coppola explained further to the interviewer that he wants his “hopeful” film to provoke a conversation among Americans about their political divide and what the future of their country might look like.
“Megalopolis.” (Lionsgate via AP)
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“This steers me toward politics, and my publicist will yell at me if I start talking about politics,” the director said as he laughed. “This movie won’t cure our ills. But I honestly believe that what will save us is the fact that we’ve got to talk about the future.”
He went on to suggest, “We want to be able to ask any questions we have to ask in order to really look at why this country is divided right now, and that’s going to provide an energy that will defeat those people who want to destroy our republic. I made this film to contribute to that. And all I want is for this movie to start a conversation. You can’t have a utopia without a conversation.”
