Megalopolis finally has a release date

You will finally have a chance to experience the madness of Megalopolis yourself this fall. Francis Ford Coppola struggled to find a distributor for his self-funded epic—word out of Cannes, as well as the private screening for studio bigwigs, is that the movie was too “batshit insane”—but his years-long persistence to get this movie made and seen has finally paid off. Per IndieWire, Coppola struck a distribution deal with Lionsgate, which will release the film in theaters and IMAX on September 27.

“Francis is a legend. For many of us, his gifts to cinema were one of the inspirations to devote our own careers to film,” Lionsgate Motion Picture Group chair Adam Fogelson said in a statement (via IndieWire). “It is a true privilege to work with him, and to bring this incredible, audacious, and utterly unique movie to theatrical audiences. At Lionsgate, we strive to be a home for bold and daring artists, and Megalopolis proves there is no one more bold or daring than the maestro, Francis Ford Coppola.”

In his own statement, Coppola praised the company, which has distributed many of his projects for home entertainment, including Apocalypse Now Final Cut. “One rule of business I’ve always followed and prioritized (to my benefit) is to continue working with companies and teams who over time have proven to be good friends as well as great collaborators,” Coppola said. “This is why I am thrilled to have Adam Fogelson and Lionsgate Studios release Megalopolis. I am confident they will apply the same tender love and care given to Apocalypse Now, which is currently in its 45th year of astounding revenue and appreciation.”

Megalopolis was incredibly polarizing for critics, but in his B- review for The A.V. Club, Jason Gorber recommended forming an opinion in the theater. “There are audiences that will be giddy for its insanity, others angered by a seeming waste of pure directorial talent. But for the vast majority of the cinematic hoi polloi, there will be that most cursed of reactions: indifference,” he wrote. “Megalopolis is not a film to be seen while doom-scrolling. A great deal of its joy will be to see it in a room, as I did, with the energy of an audience growing increasingly perturbed by what they were witnessing.”

The road to Megalopolis—which features a laundry list of stars including Adam Driver, Aubrey Plaza, Nathalie Emmanuel, Giancarlo Esposito, Jon Voight, and more—has been long. Coppola has been writing and developing it for decades, poured a personal fortune into actually producing it, has been bogged down by various reports of on-set chaos and misbehavior, and as previously stated, a mixed critical reception. It remains to be seen how Megalopolis’ “spectacular smashing of the theatrical fourth wall,” a much-talked-about moment out of the Cannes Film Festival, will play (or if it will play!) in theaters. But part of the struggle to get a distribution deal was because Coppola reportedly wanted a lengthy theatrical run, so there should be plenty of time for everybody who wants a taste of the spectacle to go see it on the big screen.