First look released of Adam Driver in The Godfather director’s new sci-fi epic that’s been in the making for 23 years

Megalopolis
(Image credit: Francis Ford Coppola/Instagram)

Following an intriguing teaser, the first proper look at Francis Ford Coppola’s Megalopolis has been released. Adam Driver and Nathalie Emmanuel star in the intriguing first image, set against the backdrop of a retro-futuristic New York City.

In the upcoming movie from The Godfather director, which is described as a sci-fi saga inspired by Roman epics, Star Wars actor Driver plays an idealistic architect named Caesar who hopes to rebuild the once great city. Meanwhile, Game of Thrones actor Emmanuel is Julia Cicero, the socialite daughter of a corrupt mayor (played by Giancarlo Esposito), and Driver’s character’s nemesis. 

The synopsis of the film teases that Emmanuel’s character is caught between the two men amid her search for life’s meaning. Vanity Fair shared the first image, which you can see below.

The sprawling cast also stars Aubrey Plaza, Shia LaBeouf, Dustin Hoffman, Jon Voight, Laurence Fishburne, and Jason Schwartzman. In a statement accompanying the first look, Coppola shared that he’s been working on the film for 23 years (not the 40 that’s often reported) and it’s heavily inspired by ancient Rome. 

"Ultimately, after a lot of time, I settled on the idea of a Roman epic," Apocalypse Now director Coppola says. "And then later, a Roman epic set in modern America, so I really only began writing this script, on and off, in the last dozen years or so. Also, as I have made many films of many different subjects and in many different styles, I hoped for a project later in life when I might better understand what my personal style was."

Early leaked reactions to the film from an industry screening have been divisive. One viewer shared that it was "unflinching in how batshit it is" while another said the ending is "baffling". It will debut at the Cannes Film Festival in a few weeks when the first official reviews will be released ahead of its expected release later this year.

For more upcoming movies, here's our guide to 2024 movie release dates.

Fay Watson
Deputy Entertainment Editor

I’m the Deputy Entertainment Editor here at 12DOVE, covering TV and film for the Total Film and SFX sections online. I previously worked as a Senior Showbiz Reporter and SEO TV reporter at Express Online for three years. I've also written for The Resident magazines and Amateur Photographer, before specializing in entertainment.

Read more
Freaky Tales
Pedro Pascal seeks revenge in the first trailer for bloody new horror movie from Marvel directors
Matt Damon in Christopher Nolan's The Odyssey
The first look at Christopher Nolan's The Odyssey shows Matt Damon ready for battle
Mickey 17
First reactions to Parasite director's new delayed sci-fi movie Mickey 17 say it's "worth the wait" and praise Robert Pattinson’s "brilliant performance"
Francis Ford Coppola and Adam Driver
The Godfather director Francis Ford Coppola has given a legendary response to his Razzie win for Megalopolis, which he is "thrilled" to accept
Mickey 17
Robert Pattinson dies over and over again in wild new trailer for long-delayed sci-fi comedy Mickey 17 from Parasite director
Brady Corbet
The Brutalist director hopes his new movie proves Oppenheimer's commercial success wasn't a fluke: "People are actually interested in all of these things that sales companies frequently tell you are like box office poison"
Latest in Sci-Fi Movies
Giancarlo Esposito in The Electric State
The Electric State star Giancarlo Esposito explains why adapting the bleak novel into a family friendly adventure was the right decision: "I'm going to bring my children with me"
Giancarlo Esposito in The Electric State
The Electric State may be the Russo brothers' most challenging VFX project yet, but stars Stanley Tucci and Giancarlo Esposito say it's one of the easiest films they’ve ever done
Giancarlo Esposito and Stanley Tucci in The Electric State
Stars Stanley Tucci and Giancarlo Esposito say their new dystopian sci-fi movie The Electric State is more like our own reality than we might realize
Millie Bobby Brown, Chris Pratt, and Ke Huy Quan in The Electric State
$320 million in the hole, the Russo brothers' new Netflix movie debuts to their worst Rotten Tomatoes score even though it's one of the most expensive films ever made
Zoe Saldaña in Avatar
James Cameron had "too many great ideas" for Avatar: The Way of Water, so the cut content became Avatar 3 which "will actually be a little bit longer" than its 3-hour predecessor
Robert Pattinson in Mickey 17
Director Bong Joon Ho explains his new sci-fi film Mickey 17's surprise end title card: "It's a coming-of-age-story"
Latest in News
Jack Quaid in Novocaine
The Boys star Jack Quaid's commitment to the bit is unmatched as his latest marketing stunt for upcoming action movie Novocaine goes viral
Daredevil: Born Again
Daredevil: Born Again had Disney Plus' biggest premiere of 2025, but its viewership is lower than Agatha All Along and The Acolyte
True Detective
Matthew McConaughey still thinks his own season of True Detective is the best one: "It was one of the great events in TV"
Diego Luna in Andor season 2
Andor season 2 showrunner Tony Gilroy calls Cassian “Star Wars Jesus” ahead of the show’s return on Disney Plus
Fortnite's Lara croft skin in front of a building
Fortnite has had Tomb Raider's Lara Croft locked away in battle pass exclusivity jail for almost 4 years, but she's reportedly getting a new skin very soon
Mind Rot card art (showing a human screaming in agony) with two meme Spongebob Squarepants Secret Lair cards laid over top
MTG's meme-filled Spongebob Secret Lair is enough to kill the average player from the 1990s