MEGALOPOLIS Teaser Trailer: Francis Ford Coppola’s Passion Piece Imagines a New Civilization

As the 77th Cannes Film Festival kicks off today, Francis Ford Coppola has just increased our anticipation with an epic new teaser for his passion piece Megalopolis. His first film in over a decade since 2011’s Twixt, Coppola (a two-time Palme d’Or winner) returns to the festival with his sci-fi epic that he had been developing since the ’80s. Featuring an all-star cast including Adam Driver, Giancarlo Esposito, Nathalie Emmanuel, Shia LeBeouf, Aubrey Plaza, Dustin Hoffman, Jason Schwartzman, Laurence Fishburne, Talia Shire, and more, it centers on an idealistic architect whose dream of rebuilding a decaying New York City into a new utopia begins to falter when he begins a romance with the daughter of his rival.

“Our new film MEGALOPOLIS is the best work I’ve ever had the privilege to preside over,” notes Coppola with the trailer. He writes, directs, and produces the epic feature, which he self-financed with an estimated budget of $120 million-plus. It has already been acquired for international distribution in multiple territories, but a U.S. deal has yet to be reached. Hopefully, the reception at its Cannes premiere will get the ball rolling there.

Here’s an official synopsis:

The destruction of a New York City-like metropolis after an accident brings clashing visions of the future. On one side is an ambitious architectural idealist Cesar (Adam Driver). On the other is his sworn enemy, city Mayor Frank Cicero (Giancarlo Esposito). The debate becomes whether to embrace the future and build a utopia with renewable materials, or take a business-as-usual rebuild strategy, replete with corruption and power brokering. In between their struggle is the mayor’s socialite daughter Julia (Nathalie Emmanuel), a restless young woman who grew up around power and is looking for meaning in her life.

Check out the new teaser below.

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