After years of delays and anticipation, Francis Ford Coppola’s mega-budget science fiction picture Megalopolis is finally poised to begin filming, and it was just disclosed that the production would use some cutting-edge technologies while filming. Megalopolis will be the inaugural production to use Prysm Stages’ new LED volume stage at Atlanta’s Trilith Studios. According to Prysm, this cutting-edge soundstage allowed the filmmakers to incorporate “never-before-seen” techniques into the making of Megalopolis by providing “a best-in-class ecosystem for physical production, including practical lighting, grip, and camera, integrated into a state-of-the-art virtual production volume.”
Coppolla stated in a statement, “I am loving working with Prysm at Trilith.” Michael Bederman, the film’s producer, was a bit more forthcoming, saying, “What’s unique and exciting about shooting Megalopolis at Prysm at Trilith is that we can marry traditional filmmaking experience, techniques, and crew with the most advanced virtual production capabilities in the same space, accessing the best of both physical and digital options available to filmmakers today.” LED volume soundstages, relatively new technology only a few years ago, have recently seen widespread adoption thanks to their application on large-scale projects.
Disney and Lucasfilm have used this style of set design extensively for their Star Wars productions, most notably to shoot the alien planet landscapes shown in The Mandalorian. With “one foot in the past and one in the future,” Coppola allegedly plans to shoot Megalopolis utilising conventional methods in addition to this cutting-edge technology.” The style and tone of Coppola’s past work like The Godfather and Apocalypse Now are expected to carry over into Megalopolis. Megalopolis has reached an important new benchmark with the news that filming will soon begin.
According to a logline acquired by The Hollywood Reporter, the film will be set against the contemporary world and will focus on the development of a paradise in the wake of a devastating event. Coppola’s “dream project,” which he has repeatedly tried to get off the ground, has been in the works for over 40 years. But the movie was stuck in development hell for a long time, without any big cast members or money. Once Coppola put up his own money for the picture, however, things changed, with Variety stating that the filmmaker contributed $100 million. Now that they have the funds, the producers of Megalopolis have been able to hire a really “huge” cast.
Actor Adam Driver, known for his roles in House of Gucci and Marriage Story, joined the cast in May. Forest Whitaker, Jon Voight, Nathalie Emmanuel, and Laurence Fishburne, all of whom signed on at around the same time as Driver, round out the film’s ensemble cast. As Fishburne’s first film role was in Coppola’s 1979 classic Apocalypse Now, this will be his first collaboration with the director. In August, Aubrey Plaza joined the cast of Megalopolis, further bolstering the show’s already impressive roster of actors. Earlier this month, it was reported that Coppola’s sister Talia Shire, who collaborated with her brother on The Godfather films, will feature in Megalopolis alongside her son Jason Schwartzman, who will also be seen in the upcoming Hunger Games prequel film, The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes.
Starring with them was Shia LaBeouf, Kathryn Hunter, Grace Vanderwaal, and James Remar. Cast members for Megalopolis were selected from a pool of A-listers who were previously linked to the project. Actors like Oscar Isaac, Jessica Chastain, Cate Blanchett, Michelle Pfeiffer, Zendaya, and Jessica Lange are among those mentioned. After initial rumours to the contrary, it was revealed that Isaac would not be appearing in the film. However, it is yet unknown whether or not the other notable actors will be contributing.
Reports have stated that filming on Megalopolis would begin in November and continue until at least March of 2023.