We've heard some stories about behind-the-scenes turmoil during the production of Francis Ford Coppola's sci-fi epic, Megalopolis, but it sounds like the shoot may have been even more chaotic than previous reports suggested.
Following the debut of yesterday's trailer, The Guardian published a piece detailing some of the (alleged) behaviour of the legendary filmmaker.
Among other things, it's said that Coppola chose to sit in his trailer smoking weed for hours on end while the cast and crew were waiting to film. He has also been accused of pulling scantily clad or naked female extras onto his lap and attempting to kiss them to "get them in the mood."
One crew member said that it was like "watching a train wreck unfold day after day, week after week, and knowing that everybody there had tried their hardest to help the train wreck be avoided."
After reportedly ditching the volume in favor of the more traditional green screen, Coppola was heard to say: "I don’t want to make a Marvel movie." Another anonymous crew member notes: "But at the end of the day, that’s what he ended up shooting."
Executive co-producer Darren Demetre responded to these allegations.
“I have known and worked with Francis and his family for over 35 years. As one of the first assistant directors and an executive producer on his new epic, Megalopolis, I helped oversee and advise the production and ran the second unit. Francis successfully produced and directed an enormous independent film, making all the difficult decisions to ensure it was delivered on time and on budget, while remaining true to his creative vision. There were two days when we shot a celebratory Studio 54-esque club scene where Francis walked around the set to establish the spirit of the scene by giving kind hugs and kisses on the cheek to the cast and background players. It was his way to help inspire and establish the club atmosphere, which was so important to the film. I was never aware of any complaints of harassment or ill behaviour during the course of the project"
What do you make of this report? Check out the trailer for Megalopolis, and drop us a comment down below.
"An accident destroys a New York City-like metropolis already in decay. Caesar, an idealist, aims to rebuild the city as a sustainable utopia, while the venal mayor, Frank Cicero, has other plans. Coming between the opposing men and their visions is Frank’s socialite daughter, Julia. Tired of the attention and power she was born with, Julia searches for her life’s meaning."
Megalopolis stars Adam Driver, Nathalie Emmanuel, Jon Voight, Laurence Fishburne, Aubrey Plaza, Shia LaBeouf, Jason Schwartzman, Grace VanderWaal, Kathryn Hunter, Talia Shire, Dustin Hoffman, and D.B. Sweeney.