More ‘Megalopolis' Reactions: “Batsh*t Crazy," “Tough Sell," “Baffling"

Here are more reactions from yesterday’s “Megalopolis” screening. As previously reported, Francis Ford Coppola finally unveiled his $120 million epic to all of the Hollywood bigwigs yesterday in Los Angeles in the hopes of securing a buyer.

“Having seen “Megalopolis” we can confirm there’s never been, or ever will be, a director as crazy as Francis Ford Coppola. What a privilege to be on the same planet as him,” the Beyond Fest account tweeted, while Matt Belloni reported an attendee saying, “It’s unflinching in how batsh*t crazy it is.”

Deadline‘s Mike Fleming added, “Coppola’s new film is crackling with ideas that fuse the past with the future, with an epic and highly visual fable that plays perfectly on an IMAX screen. He covers complex themes in a remarkably brief two hours and 13 minutes, not including credits.”

Belloni’s writeup is quite something. He tries to pour some cold water on the buzz by implying that, based on the studio heads he’s spoken to, this will be an impossible sell to mainstream audiences.

Lots of wide eyes and shaking heads outside the theater. “There are zero commercial prospects and good for him,” one top attendee told me this afternoon, saying it’s a bizarre mix of Ayn Rand, Metropolis, and Caligula. “It’s unflinching in how bat**** crazy it is.” Here’s a more detailed summary from the screening, and yes, at one point the movie “came alive” with an actor standing in front of the screen. I won’t ruin the climactic sequence with Jon Voight and Aubrey Plaza, but two separate sources told me unprompted it was one of the most baffling they’ve ever seen. But everyone I talked to agreed this is gonna be a tough sell.

Of course, Belloni comes from the type of journalism that’s more about the business side of the industry. We never expected Coppola’s film to become this huge mainstream success, and I sure hope Coppola didn’t either. Then again, his plans are that of a worldwide release strategy, on IMAX screens, this fall. Judging by the reactions, “Megalopolis” is just not that type of movie.

As for a Cannes premiere, word is that Coppola wants to find distribution and secure a full plan before bringing it to any festival. This is a smart business decision on his part, he’s in no rush and wants the film sold to a buyer before it, inevitably, polarizes festival crowds.