Coppola has dealt with chaos before, but can he turn this movie into a classic?
They say one of the oldest rules in filmmaking is never to use your own money. Well, Francis Ford Coppola has never been one to follow the rules. He's not just a great filmmaker, but a visionary, a firebrand, and someone I genuinely enjoy watching succeed. His movies matter not just personally, but historically.
Yet, Coppola is fighting another uphill battle on Megalopolis.
According to The Hollywood Reporter, the production of the movie is very rocky. From budget inflation to department heads walking off amongst other key firings, things are not going well for the octogenarian auteur. Coppola is self-financing the $120 million feature, which is apparently halfway through shooting on an 80-90 day schedule.
Apparently, the VFX-heavy movie is soaring over the intended budget and time frame. Coppola fired the VFX team and is trying to find a new way to move forward – something he did on Bram Stoker's Dracula and Apocalypse Now.
He's not new to these troubled waters, but you have to wonder if the personal financing aspect of the situation will make it a rocky effort to move production forward. It sounds like he will have to spend a lot more money to make the movie happen, or find a new financier to chip in, which could cost some freedom.
It's a fine line to walk, but it's a path he's followed many times before. It makes me all the more intrigued to see the film and to support it.
In March 2022, Coppola spoke with The Hollywood Reporter, saying of the project, “There’s a certain way everyone thinks a film should be, and it rubs against the grain if you have another idea. People can be very unaccepting, but sometimes the other idea represents what’s coming in the future. That is worthy of being considered.”
A new movie from an auteur is a great thing.
While Coppola has not commented on the story and is intent on still working, we'll try to keep tabs on what's happening with the production.
Let us know what you think in the comments.
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Not sure why any VFX company would want to work with him. I think it's time for these companies to stand up for themselves and start being more firm with their clients. Sounds like all of them get raked over the coals all the time. Frankly I'm not a fan of the modern VFX movie, I find even with all our advances in tech that these movies still look over exaggerated and fake. Prefer the old hard way of doing things which to me always looks more realistic and enjoyable some how. Either way, we absolutely do need these effects and it's time for the abuse to stop. Don't care who's fault it is in Coppolas case, but with ignorance my blame will have to go to him.
January 21, 2023 at 5:23AM