UPDATE: Coppola is said to be resting nicely now. It’s been confirmed he was hospitalized for a “heart procedure” (via THR).
Some concerning news coming out of Italy has legendary filmmaker Francis Ford Coppola hospitalized in Rome. The 86-year-old auteur, whose name is etched in cinematic history for “The Godfather,” “Apocalypse Now,” and “The Conversation,” was reportedly admitted Tuesday morning.
Coppola had been in the country presenting a screening of “Megalopolis” at the Magna Grecia Film Festival in Calabria. According to unconfirmed local sources, he may be undergoing heart surgery, though no official statement has been released from his camp.
The director has been spending part of the summer in Italy, scouting locations for his next project, which he had hoped to begin filming this fall. Despite the mixed reception to “Megalopolis” at Cannes, Coppola has remained undeterred, continuing to pursue bold, singular visions well into his eighth decade of life.
We’re sending heartfelt thoughts and best wishes to Coppola and his family during this time. Here’s hoping this cinematic giant has more stories left to tell. For over half a century, his work has shaped the language of cinema and inspired generations of filmmakers to take risks, dream big, and challenge the system.