Coppola’s return to Cannes with “Megalopolis” marks a significant moment in the filmmaker’s career, as it has been nearly 50 years since he last won the Palme d’Or at the prestigious film festival. The highly anticipated premiere of the self-financed epic is scheduled to take place on May 17, during the 77th Cannes Film Festival. The announcement was confirmed by a source close to the project, who spoke to The Associated Press on Tuesday. “Megalopolis” will be shown in competition, making Coppola eligible for another shot at the coveted Palme d’Or, which he last won for “Apocalypse Now” in 1979.
In the lead-up to the premiere, Coppola has been screening “Megalopolis” for select audiences, including friends and family, as well as potential distributors. The director reportedly invested $120 million in the project, which he has been working on since the early 1980s. With the help of his wine empire, Coppola was able to bring his passion project to life, telling the story of the rebuilding of a metropolis. The film features a star-studded cast, including Adam Driver, Giancarlo Esposito, Jon Voight, Laurence Fishburne, Aubrey Plaza, Shia LaBeouf, Chloe Fineman, Kathryn Hunter, and Dustin Hoffman, among others.
Cannes chief Thierry Fremaux has expressed his excitement about welcoming Coppola back to the festival, describing “Megalopolis” as a project that the filmmaker has long wanted to achieve and that he has realized independently, in his own artistic way. Fremaux, who is set to announce the full competition lineup on Thursday in Paris, hopes to program the film at this year’s festival. In addition to “Megalopolis,” other highly anticipated premieres at Cannes include George Miller’s “Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga” and Kevin Costner’s “Horizon, an American Saga.” The festival also recently announced that George Lucas will receive an honorary Palme d’Or.
As the Cannes Film Festival approaches its start date on May 14, the industry is abuzz with excitement over the lineup of films and special events planned for the prestigious event. Coppola’s return to Cannes with “Megalopolis” adds to the anticipation, as audiences eagerly await the screening of the epic film, which has been many years in the making. With a talented cast and a compelling story about the rebuilding of a metropolis, “Megalopolis” is poised to make a significant impact at this year’s festival and beyond. Stay tuned for more updates on “Megalopolis” and other highlights from the 77th Cannes Film Festival.
