Francis Ford Coppola had a crazy time making Megalopolis.
Of course that’s nothing new for the eccentric filmmaker.
But anyone following Hollywood news knows that things were pretty nuts behind the scenes ofMegalopolisas well.
Ever since a stream of accusations,lawsuits, and competing narratives have clouded the publicity around the film.
Here are some of the most bizarre and sometimes harmlessly amusing incidents in Coppolas unquestionably remarkable career.
So Coppola got another $20,000 from a different investor, in exchange forDementia 13s English rights.
So I had now $40,000.
But I sort of just duped him.
I took both checks and I put it in the bank.
But when Lucas turned the idea over to his partner Coppola,Apocalypse Nowbecame the exact opposite.
Cue cards were employed.
Somehow, though, Coppola goes even more over the top withOne From the Heartthan he did onApocalypse Now.
He insisted upon complex and detailed sets, a hermetic space to have complete control over the production.
Coppola even recreated part of a Las Vegas airport on set for the films flashy finale.
Coppola certainly got to make the movie he wanted.
AndOne From the Heartis unique and beautiful.
But its also completely boring, which is why it flopped in theaters.
It flopped so badly that it tanked Zoetrope Studios.
Worse, it forced Coppola to do anonymous studio work, and the nightmare that isJack.
Yet even that production was not without its oddities.
Coppola held no ill will and happily went to work with Ryder a few years later.
Yet its oddly fitting Ryder would become the center of Coppolas oddest incident on theDraculaset.
[W]e always say who it is, even though it says it on the text.
So like on his birthday I go: Happy birthday, my husband.
And then hes like, Hey, my wife, I love you.
Like on each birthday hes like KR 57 or whatever his age is.
Hes always done that.
Of course, it wasnt all happiness on theDraculaset, at least not for Ryder.
Worse, he encouraged the male performers to do the same.
Francis was trying to get all of them to yell things that would make me cry.
But Keanu wouldnt, Anthony [Hopkins] wouldnt.
So maybe the movies tagline is right, and love never dies.
Tetros Troubles in Argentina
Coppolas insistence on using canceled actors forMegalopolismight have its roots in 2009sTetro.
Anyone whos gotten robbed, its always depressing, and I did lose some data, he toldColliderin 2007.
I didnt lose the script.
They said the script is gone, but I have other copies of the script.
Obviously I had to send it to actors and stuff, so no.
I was astonished that that got such news coverage.
Although Coppolas team disputed the claims, the Union insisted that shooting only began when their concerns were addressed.
The lawyers for the producers presented the necessary documentation and recognized the errors that they had made.
So now they are able to continue with production, union representative Norberto Gonzalo said at the time.
Whatever happened first, its clear that the problem was resolved and Coppola was able to finish the film.
Megalopolis opens in theaters on September 27, 2024.
