Megalopolis director Francis Ford Coppola explains why the film’s entire VFX team was fired. This is only one of many controversies surrounding Megalopolis, including allegations against Coppola for harassing extras on the set of the film. A Megalopolis trailer led to further controversy as the trailer featured quotes that appeared to be from reviews of previous Coppola films, only for the quotes to later be revealed as fabricated, leading to Lionsgate apologizing and pulling the trailer.
While speaking with Empire magazine, Coppola clarified that the VFX team was fired due to creative differences and an inability to reach a satisfying compromise. Coppola highlights why this team was initially an ideal fit for Megalopolis while also breaking down the conflict that arose as production continued. Part of the challenges that he faced are rooted in not only being the film’s director, but also being the one to finance the film. Check out Coppola’s explanation below:
The film that attracted me to the production design was Ed Norton’s Motherless Brooklyn. Movies are always very specific about their date, because all the hairstyles and cars have to conform. But I liked the way they handled Motherless Brooklyn. It seemed to span time. The production designer Beth Mickle] had a dual career where she did independent films but also did big Marvel pictures. Megalopolis had a big art-department need because you have to show the world of the future. Ultimately, Beth and Il really didn’t share the same vision. We [later] disagreed to a degree that it was decided that the best thing would be if I hired a concept artist and came up with frames that showed what I wanted, which I did. The art department was frustrated because they felt I was evolving the look of the picture independently of them. They wanted giant sets and images. I wanted other elements like costumes and live effects to do some of the work and have it not all be art-department-centric. So, there was disagreement along those lines.
Yes, doing it art department-centric was extremely expensive. The picture was heading over budget [towards $148 million]. I said, “We have to now economise and make it much less expensive.” The art department had a production designer, five art directors and a supervisor. It was very hierarchical. I said, “Let’s fire one of the five art directors,” and they said, “Well, if you do that, we’ll all resign.” And I did and they did. Then, of course, they bad-mouth us: “Oh, this picture is crazy.” I thought the picture was going very well because I love the actors and I love the performances. I didn’t want to economise. I wanted to get the art department to be smaller, and they didn’t want to be smaller. They wanted all the other departments to be smaller. I said, “Let’s face it, I’m the only one who knows what the director has in mind. I don’t care what you think.” Also, I’m not only the director – I was also putting up the money. So, to be told that I had to have a huge art department that I didn’t want was absurd to me.
Can Megalopolis Overcome Its Controversies?
Megalopolis Faces An Increasingly Uphill Battle
Megalopolis has been a longtime passion project for Coppola that has been in the works for decades. While this could have been the narrative surrounding the film leading up to its theatrical release, the narrative long ago shifted to the extensive behind-the-scenes issues. On top of Megalopolis‘ early reviews already being strongly divided, the ongoing controversies make the marketing campaign and any potential box office success even more challenging.
While the use of fabricated quotes in a trailer is an embarrassing controversy, it is something that can be more easily dismissed than the allegations against Coppola can be.
The allegations of Coppola’s harassment are particularly troubling and make it difficult to view the film as a triumphant or celebratory achievement in his career. It will also make it difficult to watch certain scenes featuring extras, given the way they were reportedly treated during production. While the use of fabricated quotes in a trailer is an embarrassing controversy, it is something that can be more easily dismissed than the allegations against Coppola can be.
Despite these controversies and what transpired between Coppola and the VFX team, his name recognition and association with classics like The Godfather and Apocalypse Now may be enough to generate enough mainstream curiosity in the film. The star-studded Megalopolis cast that includes Adam Driver, Aubrey Plaza, Giancarlo Esposito, Jon Voight, and Nathalie Emmanuel may help as well. At this point, though, Megalopolis is still defined by its many controversies.
Source: Empire