Lionsgate to Distribute ‘Megalopolis’ In North America with Late September Release

After what seemed like an impossible quest for Francis Ford Coppola to secure North American distribution for his self-funded blockbuster Megalopolis, Lionsgate came through and will be the ones who will handle release for both the United States and Canada (through their subsidiary Cineplex Pictures) on September 27. This isn’t the first time Coppola has partnered with the studio, which distributed his final cut of Apocalypse Now in cinemas in August 2019.

The film premiered at the Cannes Film Festival last week and secured distribution for most international territories, but no Hollywood studio picked it up. The reception has been divisive from critics and audience members alike, with some praising its ambitious storytelling and visual effects, while others have not minced their words on the film, calling it a $120 million version of Tommy Wiseau‘s The Room.

No matter what the Cannes audience thinks, the movie is expected to make quite the splash when it eventually releases in theatres, with a one-week IMAX engagement before Joker: Folie à Deux takes over its screens. Adam Driver, Nathalie Emmanuel, Aubrey Plaza, Shia LaBeouf, Jon Voight, Laurence Fishburne, Talia Shire, Jason Schwartzman, Kathryn Hunter, Grace VanderWaal, Chloe Fineman, James Remar, D.B. Sweeney, and Dustin Hoffman star in the film.

In a statement, Coppola was thrilled to announce this news, stating, “One rule of business I’ve always followed and prioritized (to my benefit) is to continue working with companies and teams who over time have proven to be good friends as well as great collaborators. This is why I am thrilled to have Adam Fogelson and Lionsgate Studios release ‘Megalopolis.’ I am confident they will apply the same tender love and care given to ‘Apocalypse Now,’ which is currently in its 45th year of astounding revenue and appreciation.”

On the other hand, Lionsgate Motion Picture Group’s chair, Adam Fogelson, said, “Francis is a legend. For many of us, his gifts to cinema were one of the inspirations to devote our own careers to film. It is a true privilege to work with him, and to bring this incredible, audacious, and utterly unique movie to theatrical audiences. At Lionsgate, we strive to be a home for bold and daring artists, and ‘Megalopolis’ proves there is no one more bold or daring than the maestro, Francis Ford Coppola.”

In addition to the United States and Canada, Megalopolis has acquired distribution in the United Kingdom, France, Germany, Austria, Switzerland, Italy, Spain, Australia, Benelux, Bulgaria, the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Ex-Yugoslavia, Greece, Hungary, Israel, Morocco, Portugal, Romania, Scandinavia, Turkey, the Middle East, Poland, Ukraine, the Baltics, Tunisia, Indonesia, and the Philippines, from various local distributors. It is currently negotiating with studios based in Latin America, Brazil, and the rest of Asia.

Watch the trailer for Megalopolis below:

Source: IndieWire