Francis Ford Coppola said in an interview published Sunday that he didn’t want his new movie “Megalopolis” to be woke, so went all out in mitigating this risk.
Coppola is arguably one of the most iconic directors in cinematic history, thanks to his works like “The Godfather” and “Apocalypse Now,” and he’s making a big statement with his latest flick “Megalopolis,” according to Rolling Stone. Coppola told the outlet he was so set on avoiding the woke mafia, that he hired “canceled” actors and big-time Republican Jon Voight.
“What I didn’t want to happen is that we’re deemed some woke Hollywood production that’s simply lecturing viewers. The cast features people who were canceled at one point or another,” Coppola told the outlet when asked about casting Voight, who apparently bares a “strong resemblance to [former President] Donald Trump,” so says Rolling Stone, “There were people who are archconservatives and others who are extremely politically progressive. But we were all working on one film together. That was interesting, I thought.”
‘We Screwed Up’: Lionsgate Pulls Trailer, Apologizes Over Fabricated Reviewshttps://t.co/4TjvcjxFdh
— Daily Caller (@DailyCaller) August 22, 2024
Looking through the cast of “Megalopolis,” the only “canceled” actor I can see is Voight, and was he ever actually cancelled? The only year he appears to have not worked is 2011, and he did two back-to-back television series the two years prior. That doesn’t sound very cancelled to me. (RELATED: Legendary Director Francis Ford Coppola Explains Why He Thinks Films Aren’t As Good Anymore)
Could Coppola be referring to Shia LaBeouf, who may have had his run-ins with the headlines and a few slower years in his career, but I wouldn’t say he was ever full-on “canceled.” I feel like this is just another potential attempt to rile up movie goers to actually see the film in cinemas.
CANNES, FRANCE – MAY 16: Shia La Beouf attends the “Megalopolis” Red Carpet at the 77th annual Cannes Film Festival at Palais des Festivals on May 16, 2024 in Cannes, France. (Photo by Marc Piasecki/FilmMagic)
CANNES, FRANCE – MAY 17: Jon Voight attends the “Megalopolis” press conference ahead of the 77th annual Cannes Film Festival at Palais des Festivals on May 17, 2024 in Cannes, France. (Photo by Victor Boyko/Getty Images)
ATLANTA, GEORGIA – NOVEMBER 07: Shia LaBeouf and Francis Ford Coppola are seen on set for “Megalopolis” on November 07, 2022 in Atlanta, Georgia (Photo by MEGA/GC Images)
(FromL) Romanian cinematographer Mihai Malaimare Jr., US screenwriter Roman Coppola, Cosima Mars, US actress Romy Mars, US singer Grace Vanderwaal, US actress Talia Shire, US actor Jon Voight, British actress Nathalie Emmanuel, US actor Giancarlo Esposito, US director Francis Ford Coppola, US actor Laurence Fishburne, US actor Adam Driver and US actress Aubrey Plaza pose during a photocall for the film “Megalopolis” at the 77th edition of the Cannes Film Festival in Cannes, southern France, on May 17, 2024. (Photo by Sameer Al-Doumy / AFP) (Photo by SAMEER AL-DOUMY/AFP via Getty Images)
The plot is apparently “a Roman Empire epic set in modern America.” Voight plays a “Caligula-like figure who bears a strong resemblance to a recent former president,” Rolling Stone argues, while the rest of the story is a “a sprawling, ambitious, all-over-the-map story about a dying republic filled with corrupt politicians, club-hopping hedonists,” and Aubrey Plaza with blonde hair. (RELATED: We Bet You Can’t Get Through The Trailer For ‘Super/Man: The Christopher Reeve Story’ Without Bawling)
It sounds like Coppola has a lot riding on the success of this film — to the point where the plot contrasted with Coppola’s existence sounds hilariously ironic. He certainly lives a life most of us only dream about. I hope “Megalopolis” works out for him. But my gut says this might be one of those flicks that does better once it goes to streaming … maybe.
