'Megalopolis': Francis Ford Coppola's self-funded project secures pre-Cannes deals
What's the story
Francis Ford Coppola's latest offering, Megalopolis, has finally been sold to key independent buyers in Europe's top five territories before its world premiere at the Cannes Film Festival.
The movie has been acquired by Constantin Film for Germany and all German-speaking territories, including Switzerland and Austria.
Eagle Pictures will distribute the film in Italy, Tripictures in Spain, and Entertainment Film Distributors Limited in the UK.
Last week, a deal with Le Pacte for France was also announced.
Red carpet
Star-studded cast to grace Cannes premiere
The cast of Megalopolis, including Adam Driver, Giancarlo Esposito, Nathalie Emmanuel, Aubrey Plaza, Shia LaBeouf, Jon Voight, Laurence Fishburne, Talia Shire, Kathryn Hunter, Grace VanderWaal, Chloe Fineman, D.B. Sweeney, and Dustin Hoffman are set to walk the red carpet at the Cannes premiere on Thursday (May 16).
The deals were brokered by Coppola's longtime lawyer Barry Hirsch and Goodfellas President Vincent Maraval with representatives from each of the buying companies.
Distribution rights
Future streaming deal possible for 'Megalopolis'
Interestingly, the deals only cover theatrical rights.
TV and VOD (Video on Demand) rights have been retained by Coppola's team, potentially paving the way for a global streaming deal in the future.
However, details regarding this aspect and the US distributor are yet to be finalized.
Meanwhile, Tarak Ben Ammar, President of Eagle Pictures stated: "Adding Megalopolis to Eagle's roster is a dream come true...It perfectly fits our theatrical slate, it's a groundbreaking cinematic experience."
Reactions
Other industry leaders expressed excitement for 'Megalopolis'
Oliver Berben from Constantin Film expressed pride in bringing the film to theaters in Germany, stating, "Megalopolis is a project close to our hearts—not only for Coppola but also for us. It makes us incredibly proud to bring it to theaters in Germany."
Nigel Green, Managing Director of Entertainment Film Distributors, called it an "honor and a delight" to have Coppola's film on their slate.
Felipe Ortiz, President of Tripictures, also shared his excitement about releasing the film in Spain.
Theme, plot
Meanwhile, know all about the storyline of 'Megalopolis'
Coppola's passion project—self-funded and meticulously crafted—stands as his most ambitious undertaking yet.
Penned and directed by Coppola himself, Megalopolis unfolds as a modern-day Roman epic, set in a reimagined America.
The official logline paints a vivid picture of the conflict between visionary artist Cesar Catilina (Driver), and entrenched Mayor Franklyn Cicero (Esposito).
Caught in the middle is socialite Julia Cicero (Emmanuel), torn between love and loyalty as the city grapples with its destiny.