Francis Ford Coppola’s Megalopolis endured its fair share of controversies and negative reviews before its official global release, but actor Giancarlo Esposito, who plays Mayor Cicero, remains optimistic about the film. In fact, Coppola has a long history of making controversial movies, like Apocalypse Now and The Godfather. Megalopolis is simply the latest in a long line of work to spark rampant discussion and mixed reactions, and it does not phase Esposito.
Giancarlo Esposito responded to harsh critiques in an X post shared by AP Entertainment. The actor stated that, while the film may not be what audiences were anticipating, it would do well regardless, due to its innovative take on the sci-fi genre. In his words:
“This is an innovative movie to begin with. I mean Francis [Ford Coppola] breaks the third wall. He tells the story in a very different way than any filmmaker has ever told before, not only with words, but visually. And at the end of this movie, you have hope for the future. And I think it’s a film that people just don’t expect. It’s an art film. It’s a fable. And so it’s very different than what we’re used to.”
What the actor said is precisely accurate, because Coppola’s films have always been rather distinct from many other filmmakers, often veiled in risk and creativity, which makes them quite intriguing despite not being a critical success upon release. In addition to labeling the picture “innovative,” the actor expresses surprising assurance about the project. He continued:
“So I think, you know, sometimes people have a — they don’t know how to take that. But from my experience at Cannes, you know, a 17-minute ovation. My experience at TIFF [Toronto International Film Festival], people love this movie. So that’s why I said I don’t know of any negative publicity at all. It hasn’t come out yet, so no one’s really written about it. But they will be. You wait and see.”
Fairly enough, Megalopolis holds a 51% Rotten Tomatoes rating, which is among the lowest in recent years. But according to Esposito, the film may fare better with age, meaning audiences may appreciate it years after its initial release. Apocalypse Now is an excellent illustration of this, since many were not really supportive of it when it first came out, but it is now regarded as one of the greatest films of all time.
Megalopolis Is Francis Ford Coppola’s Passion Project
Coppola reportedly funneled $120 million dollars of his own money for production, but suffered from bad publicity as well as creative disputes, resulting in unforeseen delays. Despite hurdles such as lawsuits and the trailer’s fake quotes, the film is slated to be released shortly, and it seems like he put his heart and soul into it. Megalopolis can be best described as follows:
“MEGALOPOLIS is a Roman Epic set in an imagined Modern America. The City of New Rome must change, causing conflict between Cesar Catilina (Adam Driver), a genius artist who seeks to leap into a utopian, idealistic future, and his opposition, Mayor Franklyn Cicero (Giancarlo Esposito), who remains committed to a regressive status quo, perpetuating greed, special interests, and partisan warfare. Torn between them is socialite Julia Cicero (Nathalie Emmanuel), the mayor’s daughter, whose love for Cesar has divided her loyalties, forcing her to discover what she truly believes humanity deserves.”
Megalopolis will be released theatrically on September 27, 2024.