One of the most anticipated films of the year will be available for sale to independent buyers at the upcoming Cannes market. We can bring you the news that French distribution company Goodfellas has joined Francis Ford Coppola Megalopolis before the world premiere of the film in competition at the festival.
Since Coppola first showed it to buyers at the Universal CityWalk Imax Theater in Los Angeles in late March, there has been speculation about launch plans for the $120 million, self-financed epic.
Adam Driver plays an idealistic architect trying to rebuild New York as an American utopia. The ensemble also includes Nathalie Emmanuel, Aubrey Plaza, Shia LaBeouf, Dustin Hoffman, Jon Voigt, Laurence Fishburne and Kathryn Hunter. Above is a first image from the film.
According to Mike’s report on the LA screening, Coppola and longtime lawyer Barry Hirsch, who is producing the film, were looking for a distribution strategy that would reach a wide audience in the fall, with an emphasis on Imax theaters. The US deal is still in the works. CAA Media Finance is also involved in this project.
The deal with Goodfellas and the now completed sale of the French rights to Le Pacte mean that the film complies with a Cannes rule that requires films in competition to be released in cinemas in France before hitting a platform.
This rules out the direct involvement of a streamer in France, as the territory’s window rules mandate a 17-month gap between a theatrical release and its launch on a global streamer, with the exception of Netflix, which has negotiated a 15-month deal.
It remains to be seen whether the film will take the streaming route elsewhere, although Deadline learns that Goodfellas is also already close to securing theatrical deals in a number of key territories.
Paris-based Goodfellas (formerly Wild Bunch International) has a long history of bold sales campaigns in Cannes.
In its 20 years of existence, Vincent Maraval’s company has sold 11 Palme d’Or winners, including Michael Moore’s Fahrenheit 9/11Cristian Mungius 4 months, 3 weeks and 2 daysAbdellatif Kechiche Blue is the warmest colorr, Hirokazu Kor-edas Shoplifters and Julia Ducournaus titaniumwhile it has helped a number of Cannes titles achieve international breakthrough, including that of Nadine Labaki Capernaum and Ladj Lys Pathetic. The company’s Oscar-winning selling titles include Michel Hazanavicius The artistLuc Jacquets March of the Penguins and Hayao Miyazaki’s Magically gone.
This won’t be the first time Coppola has collaborated with a French company on a groundbreaking production. In 1977 The late French producer Paul Rassam invested Apocalypse now when it was in financial trouble in return for the French rights to the film.
The deal led to a lifelong friendship between Coppola and Rassam and members of his extended family, including the late producer Claude Berri and his son Thomas Langmann.