Francis Ford Coppola’s Megalopolis has secured distribution in several key European countries, including the UK.
Megalopolis, director Francis Ford Coppola’s ambitious, self-financed epic, has secured some vital distribution deals ahead of its debut in Cannes this week.
Thanks to those deals, Megalopolis will get a theatrical release in several key European countries, with Constantin Film distributing it in Germany, Switzerland and Austria, and Entertainment Film Distributors Limited handling its release in the UK. It’ll also be distributed in Italy and Spain courtesy of Eagle Pictures and Tripictures respectively.
The news, as reported by TheWrap, emerges only a few weeks after it was announced that independent distributor Le Pacte will be putting Megalopolis in French cinemas this September.
It’s a huge boost for Coppola’s film – a $120m passion project which was partly financed by the filmmaker himself. A March screening for potential exhibitors in Hollywood (including studios as Warner Bros, Disney and Netflix) sounded rather ominous for the film’s prospects. “There is just no way to position this movie,” was how one anonymous would-be distributor put it.
Read more: Megalopolis | Francis Ford Coppola epic gets distribution in UK and other European countries
Megalopolis' European distributors are far more upbeat about the film’s prospects, however. Eagle Pictures boss Tarak Ben Ammar, who’s putting the film in Italian cinemas describes the film as “commercial” and “groundbreaking” in his statement.
“Adding Megalopolis to Eagle’s roster is a dream come true,” Ammar said. “Not only has the greatest director of our time delivered a commercial film which perfectly fits our theatrical slate, it’s a groundbreaking cinematic experience.”
The film’s UK distributor offered a similar take. “It is an honour and a delight to have a film from one of the greatest directors in the history of cinema on our slate,” said Entertainment Film Distributors managing director Nigel Green. “Megalopolis is a very special film that makes you believe again in the unique experience of cinema.”
One major part of the puzzle still missing is a distributor in the United States. Megalopolis screens at Cannes on the 17th May; it’s possible that Coppola’s film will finally find a US backer over the next few days. We’ll keep you posted.
