Adam Driver Has A Handy Superpower In First Look At Francis Ford Coppola's Megalopolis

Francis Ford Coppola's "Megalopolis" has been in the works for decades, and at last, the first clip from the film has been released ahead of its Cannes Film Festival premiere later this month. It's just two minutes long, but the film finally feels real, not like a vanished dream.

We at /Film named "Megalopolis" one of our most anticipated movies of 2024, and it should be one of yours too. It's the "Godfather" director's first film since 2011's "Twixt," and it was self-financed (meaning creative freedom for Coppola). It also boasts an incredible ensemble, led by Adam Driver and Giancarlo Esposito.

In "Megalopolis," a city is destroyed in a natural disaster. Idealistic urban planner Cesar (Driver) and Mayor Frank Cicero (Esposito) clash on their visions to rebuild the city, with Cicero's daughter Julia (Nathalie Emmanuel) coming between them. The first look at the film suggests it may be even stranger (and more sci-fi-oriented) than we expected. Coppola shared the clip on his social media accounts, including YouTube and Instagram. On his Instagram post, he included a tribute to his wife Eleanor, who passed away on April 12, 2024.

"'Megalopolis' has always been a film dedicated to my dear wife Eleanor. I really had hoped to celebrate her birthday together this May 4th. But sadly that was not to be, so let me share with everyone a gift on her behalf."

The clip begins with the title card "An American Zoetrope Production," referring to Coppola's production company. The logo used is the company's red, white, and blue 1970s one, suggesting "Megalopolis" will be made in the spirit of the New Hollywood. Once the real footage begins, Cesar is stepping out the top-floor window of a skyscraper. The camera slowly spins about 90 degrees and pulls out, shifting from a forward view of Cesar to a side-facing wide shot of him on the building's edge, overlooking the Megalopolis like a frontiersman (or Batman) as the score swells.

Why is Cesar on top of this building? He takes one step off and seems to confirm the worst, but before he falls, he yells "Time stop!" and the universe obeys. Everything pauses, apparently even gravity as he pulls himself back from the ledge. As he looks down to see the streets below him frozen, the scene mimics "Vertigo" with a dolly zoom. He snap his fingers and time returns to normal. If this clip is any indication, "Megalopolis" is not going to be a simple human drama like "The Godfather."

Coppola is reportedly having trouble finding a distributor, but "Megalopolis" is aiming for a 2024 theatrical release.