‘Megalopolis’ Trailer Shows Off Francis Ford Coppola’s ‘Best Work’

Francis Ford Coppola, the iconic director, has described his latest film, ‘Megalopolis,’ as the finest work he has ever had the privilege to oversee. This statement accompanies the official trailer for his new epic, which is set to premiere in competition on Thursday at the Cannes Film Festival.

‘Megalopolis’ has been a long time in the making for Coppola, who began working on the screenplay back in the 1980s. Known for masterpieces like ‘The Godfather’ and ‘Apocalypse Now,’ the legendary filmmaker has invested $120 million of his own money into bringing this vision to life.

Also Read: ‘Megalopolis’ Trailer: See Adam Driver in First Teaser

The trailer opens with a reflective voice-over pondering the decline of empires: “When does an empire die? Does it collapse in one terrible moment? No, no. But there comes a time when people no longer believe in it.” The scene then shifts to a Roman chariot race, a sprawling metropolitan skyline, and scenes of protest.

According to the official synopsis, ‘Megalopolis’ is a Roman epic fable set in an imagined modern America. The City of New Rome must undergo change, leading to a clash between Cesar Catilina (played by Adam Driver), a visionary artist striving for a utopian future, and Mayor Franklyn Cicero (Giancarlo Esposito), who is determined to maintain a regressive status quo filled with greed, special interests, and partisan conflict.

At the heart of this struggle is Julia Cicero (Nathalie Emmanuel), the mayor’s daughter, whose love for Cesar forces her to choose between her father’s beliefs and her own ideals about humanity’s future.

The film boasts an impressive ensemble cast, including Adam Driver, Giancarlo Esposito, Nathalie Emmanuel, Aubrey Plaza, Shia LaBeouf, Jon Voight, Laurence Fishburne, Talia Shire, Jason Schwartzman, Kathryn Hunter, Grace VanderWaal, Chloe Fineman, James Remar, D.B. Sweeney, and Dustin Hoffman.

Coppola not only wrote and directed ‘Megalopolis’ but also took on the role of producer alongside Fred Roos, Barry Hirsch, and Michael Bederman. The executive producers for the film are Anahid Nazarian, Barrie Osborne, and Darren Demetre.