It doesn’t sound like Francis Ford Coppola is done with “Megalopolis,” in fact, he’s just getting started with it.
Last month, Coppola admitted that he initially wanted “Megalopolis” to be “weirder” and that he was working on a new cut with additional material, including dream sequences.
He’s now telling The Telegraph that the director’s cut is to be called “Megalopolis Unbound.” This will contain extra footage, such as scenes with the actress Kathryn Hunter, underused in the original. “It will be really wild,” he says.
We can expect a 2026 release for the new cut.
I looked into that title, and “Megalopolis Unbound” is also a non-fiction book by Claiborne Pell about urban growth, planning, and future transportation in large urban regions — a commentary on megacities. Similar themes to “Megalopolis.”
As with all ridiculed films, “Megalopolis” has developed a small cult following, where users have been sharing their bewildered reactions and particularly referencing Adam Driver’s hilarious reading of the line, “Go back to the club.” Does this genuinely mean people love the film? Not entirely, but they don’t hate it either. This is essentially how cult films emerge.
It’s not that far-fetched to state that “Megalopolis” is unlike any film you’ve seen before. Every frame, every line of dialogue in the film is … a choice. It’s consistently filled with scenes where you’re not sure whether to take it seriously or laugh.
Although I lean toward “Megalopolis” being a beautiful disaster, some — a small minority — believe it to be a misunderstood masterpiece. Only time will tell. In the meantime, we await the “wild” new cut, soon to hit screens.
Curiously, in that same Telegraph interview, Coppola does not mention the film he’s supposed to be shooting right now, “Glimpses of Moon” — come to think of it, there’s no evidence that production has even begun. Casting calls had November and December production dates.