In 2024, Francis Ford Coppola's film Megalopolis sparked intense debate and discussion, polarizing audiences and critics alike since its premiere at the Cannes Film Festival. This ambitious and unconventional epic became a focal point of both admiration and criticism throughout the year. Now, Coppola is expanding the universe of Megalopolis into a new medium: a graphic novel.
Titled Francis Ford Coppola’s Megalopolis: An Original Graphic Novel, this reinterpretation is set to be published by Abrams ComicArts in October, as reported by The Hollywood Reporter. The graphic novel will be written by Chris Ryall, renowned for his adaptations of works by Stephen King, Harlan Ellison, and Clive Barker. Jacob Phillips, known for his work on Newburn and That Texas Blood, will provide the illustrations.
Coppola expressed his enthusiasm for the project, stating, “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. 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.” He further emphasized the boundless nature of art, saying, “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 tells the story of a visionary architect, played by Adam Driver, who is determined to construct a utopian city. His ambitions clash with the city’s mayor, portrayed by Giancarlo Esposito, who opposes his plans to transform New Rome into Megalopolis, setting the stage for a modern-day Roman fable.
While the film Megalopolis is not available for streaming, it can be rented or purchased from various movie platforms.
