Already a multimedia experience (when shown as intended), Francis Ford Coppola’s Megalopolis comes to a new medium: comics. Thanks to Abrams ComicArts, the controversial film gets an adaptation. It’s the legendary filmmaker’s first foray into comics, though it may be fairer to say he approved what writer Chris Ryall and artist Jacob Phillips has done with his vision.
Since Ryall’s days with IDW, he’s been a talent with an eye to make the quirky come to life. And Phillips has a style that can walk the line between real and surreal, best exemplified by the terrific That Texas Blood. Regardless of your judgment of the film, this long in the works adaptation could make for a fascinating read. Because of the talent involved — including Coppola — Megalopolis will be on the top of my reading pile when it arrives in stores in October, just in time to make holiday gift lists.
From Abrams ComicArts:
Set in the futuristic city of New Rome, Megalopolis originally captivated audiences with its masterful filmmaking, becoming one of Francis Ford Coppola’s most widely discussed films. Now, in graphic novel form, it explores the gripping narrative of idealism versus corruption. Architect and dreamer Cesar Catilina seeks a utopian future, while Mayor Franklyn Cicero fights to preserve the status quo—rife with greed and political warfare. Caught between these powerful forces is Julia Cicero, the mayor’s daughter, whose romance with Cesar tests her loyalty and compels her to redefine her beliefs about what humanity truly deserves. The film, which features an all-star cast including Adam Driver, Giancarlo Esposito, Nathalie Emmanuel, Jon Voight, Laurence Fishburne, and Aubrey Plaza, made its world premiere last year to a 10-minute standing ovation at the prestigious Cannes Film Festival and was released theatrically and in IMAX globally on September 27, 2024.
“I was pleased to put the idea of a graphic novel in the competent hands of Chris Ryall with the idea that, although it was inspired by my film Megalopolis, it didn’t necessarily have to be limited by it,” said Francis Ford Coppola. “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. 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.”
This isn’t to be confused with Gail Simone and Jim Calafiore’s graphic novels set in a very different city called Megalopolis.
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