25-04-2025
- Entertainment
- San Francisco Chronicle
Francis Ford Coppola turns ‘Megalopolis' into a graphic novel after box office flop
Francis Ford Coppola's long-gestating passion project ' Megalopolis ' was a notorious bomb at the box office. Maybe a graphic novel adaptation of the movie will fare better.
Coppola revealed that he has signed off on 'Francis Ford Coppola's Megalopolis: An Original Graphic Novel,' which is set to be published by Abrams ComicArts, a division of Abrams Books, in October.
Chris Ryall, who has adapted graphic novels based on works by Stephen King, Clive Barker and Harlan Ellison, is the writer. The artist is Jacob Phillips, best known for 'That Texas Blood and Newburn.'
'I hoped the graphic novel would take its own flight, with its own artists and writer so that it would be a sibling of the film, rather than just an echo,' Coppola said in a statement to the Hollywood Reporter posted Thursday, April 24. 'That's what I feel Chris, Jacob Phillips and the team at Abrams ComicArts have accomplished. It confirms my feeling that art can never be constrained, but rather always a parallel expression, and part of the bounty we can make available to our patrons, audiences and readers.'
'Megalopolis' follows architect and visionary Cesar Catilina (Adam Driver), whose efforts to create a utopian city are challenged by a corrupt mayor (Giancarlo Esposito). The film also stars Aubrey Plaza, Jon Voight, Nathalie Emmanuel and Laurence Fishburne.
Coppola worked to bring his vision to the screen for four decades, selling off part of his wine estate and self-financing the $120 million film. Released in September, the film grossed a mere $14.3 million globally.
The movie was polarizing, not only due to mixed audience and critics reactions but also because of various controversies that dogged the production, from allegations of on-set misconduct against Coppola to a movie trailer that featured fabricated quotes from critics.
Yet the distinctive visual look, including the costumes, production design and cinematography did generally draw praise, and could be seen as a strong foundation for a graphic novel presentation.
It is not publicly known what kind of financial arrangement Coppola made with Abrams Books, but whatever it is, the filmmaker apparently needs the money. He went on record producer Rick Rubin's 'Tetragrammaton' podcast in March and shared that he was essentially broke.
'I don't have any money because I invested all the money that I borrowed to make 'Megalopolis,'' he explained. 'It's basically gone. I think it'll come back over 15 or 20 years, but I don't have it now.'
