Francis Ford Coppola's Megalopolis trailer breakdown: 5 key takeaways

Filmmaker Francis Ford Coppola has recently dropped the teaser for his longtime passion project Megalopolis on May 17, at the Cannes Film Festival. This utopian Roman story set in contemporary America was initially envisaged by the director in 1978. He has been trying to get his vision on the silver screen for over four decades and now it has finally come true.

The teaser had some intriguing characters and stunning imagery that promised a unique experience for the fans. The director has held some of the greatest films of all time, including The Godfather series, The Outsiders, and Bram Stoker's Dracula.

Coppola sat in the director's chair for almost a decade for his self-funded film Megalopolis, which is also his most ambitious and audacious project since Apocalypse Now.

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Here are 5 key takeaways from the Megalopolis teaser

1) Megalopolis is set in an imagined modern America

The much-awaited movie is set in an imaginary modern America where Ceaser Catilina seeks to revitalize The City of New Rome, a metropolis modeled after New York City that has collapsed due to a calamity. He and the mayor of the city, Franklyn Cicero, who is portrayed by Giancarlo Esposito, become at odds because of this tragedy.

The beginning of the teaser gives a glimpse of a city that is on the verge of destruction, both physically by what appeared as missiles and socially, as depicted through various scenes of protests. However, a section of the city is shown completely oblivious to the reality around them. The teaser successfully conveyed conflict and tension that would keep the viewers hooked to the screen.

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2) The film is a modern retelling of the Roman Epic fable

Still from the teaser (Image via Francis Ford Coppola/Youtube)

The teaser begins with a question, "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”.

Then we get to see people in modern America dressed up in beautiful clothes, enjoying chariot races, and extravagant lifestyles, while simultaneously there are protests and chaos, which is the most Roman thing that can be shown.

Even if people weren't named after Roman historical figures like Caesar and Cicero or dressed up in Roman clothes, one would have guessed that the previous sentence is describing life in Rome. Megalopolis is seeking to tell the timeless story of the collapse of great empires, or perhaps, how to save them.

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3) Megalopolis boasts of an ensemble of talented actors

The film features an ensemble cast of popular and talented cast that is led by Adam Driver as an architect named Ceaser Catilina, who wants to rebuild New Rome City into a utopia.

In this journey, he is aided and obstructed by many interesting characters, which are played by Giancarlo Esposito, Nathalie Emmanuel, Aubrey Plaza, Shia LaBeouf, Jon Voight, Jason Schwartzman, Talia Shire, Grace VanderWaal, Laurence Fishburne, Kathryn Hunter, and Dustin Hoffman.

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4) Megalopolis is ambitious and daring

Still from Megapolis tease (Image via Francis Ford Coppola/Instagram)

Coppola first conceived the idea for the film in 1978 and actively started developing it in 1983, Megalopolis underwent significant delays and numerous cancellations over the years. The filmmaker revived the project in 2019 by spending $120 million of his own money on the film. A quote by Coppola attached to the film's official trailer reads—

"Our new film MEGALOPOLIS is the best work I've ever had the privilege to preside over."

Coppola has locked horns with studio suits, went through bankruptcy, and went to the brink of what one would call madness. He even said in 1978 that his film Apocalypse Now would not be good, but it turned out to be a cinematic masterpiece.

Megalopolis became a reality because he sold his successful winery estate to finance the film because no one else would. The ambition of the film is apparent in each frame of the trailer. It looks like Coppola has left no stone unturned to make his dream project a reality.

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5) The film is riding on Adam Driver's strong shoulders

Adam Driver in Megapolis (Image via Francis Ford Coppola/Youtube)

Adam Driver has gained immense fame and respect for his earnest performances over the years. The ex-Marine of the United States military first gained prominence for his supporting role in the HBO series Girls.

He went on to receive two Academy Award nominations for his role in Blackkklansman and Marriage Story, before landing the role of Ceaser Catilina in Megalopolis. The massive project has landed on Driver's capable shoulders after decades of struggle, and he has all the weapons in his acting arsenal to make it a success.

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The release date for the US has not been revealed yet.