Utopia Acquires Rights to Documentary about Francis Ford Coppola’s Megalopolis

Utopia has acquired the North American rights to a new documentary called Megadoc, which is about the creation of Francis Ford Coppola’s epic film Megalopolis. The documentary, directed by Oscar-nominated filmmaker Mike Figgis, will be released in theaters this autumn.

The Documentary’s Creation

The project came about from a random encounter between Coppola and Figgis, who were old friends. Coppola invited Figgis to document the making of Megalopolis from the first day of principal photography, giving him unrestricted access to the production. Figgis, armed with a small camera and crew, was able to capture a unique view of Coppola’s creative process and the making of one of the most ambitious films of his career.

A Unique Perspective

"Francis gave me access to everything, including amazing archive material that he had accumulated from the many readings of the script," said Figgis. "I was more or less free to go where I wanted. The cast was open about the working conditions and how they had to adapt to Francis’s peculiarities and individual work methods. What a privilege to witness such a moment in film history." Coppola added, "Mike Figgis shot the creation of Megalopolis as he saw it. Interestingly, there are many interpretations of what really happened, and the documentary doesn’t always show the viewer what to see and interpret."

The Film Megalopolis

Megalopolis is a project that Coppola has been thinking about for decades. The film is set in a dystopian version of New York City after a major disaster and follows a visionary architect, played by Adam Driver, as he tries to rebuild the city as a utopia and fight against entrenched power structures. The film features an all-star cast, including Forest Whitaker, Nathalie Emmanuel, Jon Voight, Laurence Fishburne, Aubrey Plaza, Shia LaBeouf, and Dustin Hoffman.

A Return to Large-Scale Filmmaking

Megalopolis marks a return to large-scale filmmaking for Coppola, who is known for his iconic films The Godfather and Apocalypse Now. The film was independently financed by Coppola and is an experimental tentpole that explores themes of power, architecture, and utopia.

The Documentary’s Release

The documentary Megadoc is produced by Tara Li-an and James Mockoski. Utopia negotiated the deal directly with Figgis’s independent production company, Red Mullet. Robert Schwartzman of Utopia commented, "Eleanor Coppola’s iconic feature documentary, Hearts of Darkness, gave audiences an incredible look at the making of Apocalypse Now. We hope that Megadoc will provide a similar insight into the making of Megalopolis."