Where, Oh Where, Did ‘Megalopolis’ Go?

by

Apocalypse Now. Megalopolis Never

On April 26, Francis Ford Coppola was given a standing ovation at the Dolby Theatre. He received the AFI Life Achievement Award (found on page 42), heartfelt tributes from notable figures such as Steven Spielberg, Harrison Ford, and George Lucas, and toward the end of the evening, a touching speech from Adam Driver who praised Coppola’s upcoming film, “Megalopolis,” calling it a “masterpiece.” This self-financed, $120 million movie, which features Driver and had a brief run in theaters last fall, earning only $14 million, was highly acclaimed by Driver.

Coppola seems to be missing and uninterested in a distribution agreement that allows audiences to watch Megalopolis on their home screens. It’s not available on streaming platforms like Netflix, Amazon, or iTunes, nor can it be found on DVD. Despite the recent praise it has received, Megalopolis has become this year’s most lauded unseen film.

It seems there’s a reasonable reason behind the mysterious vanishing of the film. With a personal investment of $120 million in the movie, one can make decisions about its distribution. According to trustworthy sources close to Coppola, the esteemed 86-year-old director doesn’t wish for his upcoming film, Megalopolis, to be viewed on a television screen.

“He wants it to play in theaters, the way it was intended,” says one insider.

Instead of launching a digital version of the film, Coppola has chosen to go on a nationwide tour. Just days after his AFI tribute, he flew to Boston for a packed showing at the Coolidge Theater. In the coming weeks, he’ll be traveling to Detroit as well.

While it might not be the most economical method to recover the $120 million, Driver emphasized to the AFI audience that profit wasn’t the primary objective. “Let me assure you,” he stated, “there were no discussions about making this more commercially viable.

Pedro Pascal’s “Protect the Dolls” Tees Aren’t About Christmas (But Sort of Are)

If you’re still shaken by the shocking twist in “The Last of Us”, fear not! Pedro Pascal is doing well. In fact, this 50-year-old actor has been quite busy lately and can often be spotted wearing a T-shirt designed by Conner Ives that reads “Protect the Dolls”.

The slogan could appear as a subtle commentary against President Trump’s statements about Christmas gifts, but it carries a more complex meaning. In the 1980s, members of the ballroom community, particularly drag queens, were sometimes called dolls affectionately. This term was subsequently used by designer Ives, based in London and admired by celebrities like Rihanna and Sky Ferreira, for a campaign he initiated in February to advocate for transgender rights.

On his website, you can find $95 t-shirts being sold, with the earnings going towards the nonprofit organization Trans Lifeline. To date, they have raised over $300,000 from these sales. Pascal, who has a transgender sister, began wearing these shirts as a form of protest against a ruling made by Britain’s highest court in April that established biological sex, rather than gender identity, as the legal standard. This decision led to widespread online criticism and a heated debate between Pascal and the author of Harry Potter, J.K. Rowling, who has been a vocal critic of transgender activism. Following Rowling’s celebration of the verdict by posting a picture of herself smoking a cigar, Pascal referred to her as a “heinous loser” and described her post as “awful, disgusting trash.” So far, Rowling has not publicly responded to these comments; perhaps she is still enjoying her cigar.

“Naked” and Afraid: David Zucker Blasts Paramount’s Frank Drebin Reboot

David Zucker didn’t feel the necessity to direct “Naked Gun 4”. His main goal was to improve the script, even a simple conversation on the phone would have been appreciated. However, instead of this collaboration, he received an offer for a producer credit – and not much else. According to Zucker, aged 77, he politely declined to attach his name to the project since they wanted nothing from him beyond his name. He felt that they assumed he was old, using a walker, and no longer capable due to his age. In Hollywood, it seems, talent is considered past its prime after the age of 40.

The film “Reboot,” helmed by Akiva Schaffer (aged 47, of Chip ‘n Dale fame), is being overseen by Seth MacFarlane and Paramount Pictures. Liam Neeson has been cast as the inept police officer Frank Drebin, a role previously played by Leslie Nielsen in “The Naked Gun” (1988). Pamela Anderson steps into the role of the seductive villainess. The only piece missing from the puzzle is the creator of the franchise.

Zucker, who co-created the classics “Airplane!” and “Police Squad!” together with his brother Jerry, Pat Proft, and the late Jim Abrahams, stated that no one from the recent team attempted to contact him. This hasn’t happened since Paramount rejected Zucker’s reboot idea, titled “Naked: Impossible.” In this concept, an “Andy Samberg-like” actor would have portrayed the secret-agent son of Nielsen’s Drebin. According to Zucker, they had no interest in setting it in a police station as cop movies are not popular nowadays. Instead, he emphasized that when doing parody, it’s crucial to spoof something contemporary.

Instead, Schaffer’s reboot seems to be adhering to the original formula and casting an older actor as the lead. As Zucker points out, it was a common strategy to use an older actor back then. For your information, Nielsen was 62 when The Naked Gun first aired, while Neeson will be 72 at the time of the new film’s release in August. Unfortunately, Zucker won’t be attending the premiere. – TONY MAGLIO

Clarification

In a recent article from Rambling Reporter titled “Cell Service: Harvey Weinstein’s Shocking New Ally,” it was stated that Candace Owens has denied the Holocaust. However, a closer look reveals that she has actually downplayed the atrocities of the Holocaust by expressing doubts about Nazi medical experiments and likening the actions of the Allies to those of the Nazis. It’s important to clarify that she has not explicitly stated that the Holocaust did not occur (THR, March 6).

The story you’re reading was published in The Hollywood Reporter’s May 7 edition. If you’d like to receive future issues, consider subscribing by clicking here.

Read More

2025-05-07 21:25