Megalopolis – I Want to Believe – Original Scifi

Francis Ford Coppola released a ‘first look,’ clip of his original scifi project: Megalopolis. There’s a lot to unpack here, so first let’s watch the clip and then discuss. Take a look:

So yeah, more questions than answers. When you watch the clip, you quickly realize it tells you nothing about the movie beyond Adam Driver’s character’s ‘special power.’ Doesn’t tell you much, but we should still support Megalopolis sight-unseen. Why should we do that? One very simple answer:

It’s.

Original.

Scifi.

As an original scifi storyteller myself, the only way I can succeed is to make sure that original science fiction still has a place in the world of 2024. Where other original scifi stories have failed, Coppola is creating a glorious physical salute to the value of original scifi. Megalopolis is the gestalt of a lifetime of curiosity, thoughtfulness and wonder. Coppola’s asking big questions like: “Is the society in which we live the only one available to us?”

Francis Ford Coppola is the perfect storyteller to tell this story. Who better than a mature filmmaker who has spent a lifetime watching the world change around him, to combine history, science fiction, and humanity? 

Even if you discount that argument, think about this: Coppola believes in this project. I’m serious, he’s been working on Megalopolis since 1979 – literally our entire lives, in many cases. ‘Actively started developing it in 1983, it underwent significant delays and numerous cancellations over the years, until Coppola revived the project in 2019 by spending $120 million of his own money on the film.” Coppola plans for Megalopolis to compete for the Palme d’Or at the 77th Cannes Film Festival, where it is set to premiere on May 17, 2024.

This isn’t just a movie, it’s a magnum opus. How much more investment could we ask of an authentic, original storyteller after a lifetime of telling authentic, original stories? We want to champion good, original science fiction when we see it. Even if it’s not perfect – Hollywood responds to butts in seats. This is an opportunity for us to say ‘more, please!’

Yes, Megalopolis is Original Scifi. Yes, we want to support it. Make it your aim to give it a shot, watch it for yourself, and support the original, authentic storytelling we all said we always wanted.