![Francis Ford Coppola](https://i.kinja-img.com/image/upload/c_fit,q_60,w_645/11779943ecb4c2695d73203466e2a1f5.jpg)
Last week, cinephiles found a horseâs head in their bed when The Hollywood Reporter announced that no one in Hollywood has the guts to release Francis Ford Coppolaâs latest passion project, Megalopolis. Even though Hollywood is releasing a film called Deadpool & Wolverine this summer, the lack of clear good guys and bad guys made Megalopolis a tough sell in the eyes of Hollywood executives. Others commented that a scene featuring Jon Voightâs character in bed âwith what looks like a huge erectionâ was too âcringeyâ for our mid box office ecosystem. Bet.
Coppola only makes passion projects and has only done so since he made The Godfather in 1972. Even when he returns to genre movies with well-known characters and big stars, the result is Bram Stokerâs Dracula, a massive hit despite being weird as hell. But because no one person on Earth would see a movie that features the words âFrom The Director of The Godfatherâ or âStarring Adam Driverâ on the poster, Hollywood studios passed on Coppolaâs self-financed latest.
But as the saying goes, if the Johnny Depp comeback vehicle can find a distributor, so too can Megalopolis. Ironically, that might be the same distributor. Per Variety, Coppola is talking to French distributor Le Pacte at Cannes ahead of the premiere. Variety notes that this is a âhuge stepâ for the movie because if Megalopolis is not distributed in French theaters, it cannot compete in the Cannes Film Festival. Also worth noting: France also has a great law that requires streaming services to wait 15 months after a theatrical release before a movie can end up on streamers, which is probably great for theaters and physical media sales.
Le Pacte is a smaller firm that has recently found considerable success. Last year, it distributed Anatomy Of A Fall, which won an Oscar, and introduced 50 Centâs âP.I.M.P.â to steel drums. Next, the distributor plans to release Maiwennâs Jeanne du Barry, which stars Depp in his first role since the Amber Heard trial.