Lionsgate will release Francis Ford Coppola’s “Megalopolis” in the United States

Lionsgate will release Francis Ford Coppola’s $120 million epic “Megalopolis” in the U.S. on September 27th, after it premiered in Cannes last month. It’s scheduled for a wide release.

Deadline has heard that this is Lionsgate’s distribution deal. Coppola will own the film, as he has with many of his movies under the American Zoetrope banner.

Lionsgate is already releasing Halle Berry’s horror film All We Had to Give on the same day. Universal is releasing DreamWorks Animation’s Wild Robots, and Paramount is releasing Christopher Nolan’s 10th anniversary re-release of Interstellar, a Warner Bros. co-production.

As reports, Coppola has already secured IMAX theaters for the film’s all-star ensemble cast, which includes Adam Driver, Nathalie Emmanuel, Aubrey Plaza, Giancarlo Esposito, Jon Voight and Shia LaBeouf.

The studio is already doing business under the banner of Coppola’s American Zoetrope, releasing the Oscar-winning filmmaker’s previous director’s cuts, namely Coppola: H. Apocalypse Now: Final Cut, The Conversation, The Cotton Club Encore, Tucker: The Man and His Dream, and One from the Heart: Reprise. Lionsgate Studios will also distribute Megalopolis to all home entertainment platforms.

There is a live part in the middle of the movie where real actors appear in front of the screen. This happened in Cannes, and the plan was to adapt it for Imax screens. Regarding the fourth wall, I understand that Lionsgate wants to realize Coppola’s vision.

Megalopolis received a seven-minute standing ovation at its Cannes premiere, and Coppola previously received a three-minute standing ovation before the film’s screening at the Théâtre Lumiere. Megalopolis has a critical score of 52% on Rotten Tomatoes.

By the deadline of Megalopolis, many overseas territories have already been secured, including the United Kingdom (Entertainment Film Distributors Limited), France (Le Pacte), Germany, Austria and Switzerland (Constantin Film), Italy (Eagle Pictures), Spain (Tripictures), Australia (Madman Entertainment), Benelux ( September Films), Bulgaria (Profilm), Czech Republic and Slovakia (Film Europe), Former Yugoslavia (MCF Megacom Film), Greece (Feelgood Entertainment), Hungary (Mozinet), Israel (Lev Cinemas), Morocco (Facility Events), Portugal (Midas Films), Romania (Independenta Film), Scandinavia (Njutafilms) and Turkey (Bir Film). Recently added territories include the Middle East (Cinewaves), Poland (Gutek), Ukraine and the Baltic States (Ad Astra), Tunisia (Retinia), Indonesia (Prima Cinema) and the Philippines (Pioneer). Goodfellows is also in talks with Latin America, Brazil and other parts of Asia.

Barry Hirsch, Coppola’s producer and longtime attorney at Hirsch Wallerstein Hayum Matloff + Fishman, oversaw the deal on behalf of American Zoetrope. Lauren Bixby and Christopher Davis oversaw the deal for Lionsgate.

Adam Fogelson, chairman of Lionsgate Film Group, said: “Francis is a legend. For many of us, his gifts to cinema were one of the inspirations to devote our own careers to film. 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.”

Coppola added, “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. 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 also stars Lauren Fishburne, Talia Shire, Jason Schwartzman, Kathryn Hunter, Grace VanderWaal, Chloe Fineman, James Remar, D.B. Sweeney and Dustin Hoffman.

Coppola’s producer and longtime lawyer Barry Hirsch of Hirsch Wallerstein Hayum Matlof + Fishman oversaw the deal on behalf of American Zoetrope Inc. Lauren Bixby and Christopher Davis oversaw the deal for Lionsgate.