‘Megalopolis’ Finds U.S. Distributor In Lionsgate, ‘The Apprentice’ May Have Found a Buyer
Big distribution news this week, as two of the most interesting case studies for North American release may have been solved. On Monday, it was reported that Francis Ford Coppola’s Megalopolis will receive a theatrical release on September 27 from Lionsgate. It also looks like the young Donald Trump movie The Apprentice could find a buyer — but there’s an asterisk!
Lionsgate announced the Megalopolis news by reposting the announcement from the newly-created official Twitter account. The pic had been announced to be receiving a limited IMAX run, too. Overseas distribution rights had been secured in advance. Part of what held most studios and smaller companies from buying in was Coppola’s adamancy to have a big marketing campaign, which could tally up to $100M (including $40M domestic). It’s unknown how much Lionsgate agreed to, but Coppola was running out of time and options.
Megalopolis premiered at the Cannes Film Festival to mixed reviews, quite literally. Some of them were very positive, while others ridiculed the film. The question now becomes whether Lionsgate is the right partner here. Coppola likely wants a big awards push, and outside of La La Land, Lionsgate doesn’t have a huge track record with these.
Elsewhere, Ali Abbasi’s The Apprentice is nearing an acquisition by Briarcliff Entertainment, an independent distributor ran by Tom Ortenberg, Matt Belloni reported via his Puck newsletter. The company would release it in U.S. theaters this fall, but they must overcome a small problem first. The film, which will likely be very polarizing due to the North American political climate, was backed financially by a Donald Trump ally, Dan Snyder, who, after seeing a cut of the film in February, was furious about the portrayal of young Trump (played in the film by Sebastian Stan).
Snyder has a say in the deal that would be signed for the film to be released in theaters in the U.S. He’s apparently using his leverage to drag the negotiations, perhaps forcing other investors in the film to rise up to make him happy. The deal will probably take a few days to close, but it’s the first indication that it may have a life in the United States. Internationally, it’s already been acquired in most countries.
Miguel Fernández is a Spanish student that has movies as his second passion in life. His favorite movie of all time is The Lord of the Rings, but he is also a huge Star Wars fan. However, fantasy movies are not his only cup of tea, as authors like Scorsese, Fincher, Kubrick or Hitchcock have been an obsession for him since he started to understand the language of filmmaking. He is that guy who will watch a black and white movie, just because it is in black and white.
