Iconic filmmakerFrancis Ford Coppola had a scathing response to his shock Razzies 2025 Worst Director win for Megalopolis.
The five time Oscar winner, 85, best known for
his work on The Godfather Trilogy, accepted the dubious honor
at the awards this week,celebrating the worst in inematic releases.
Megalopolis, a $120million film which was mired in production issues and saww Coppola denying allegations of unprofessional behavioron set, only made a paltry $14.6million at the box office.
Coppola, who also funded aand produced the film, wrote on Instagram
Friday: 'I am thrilled to accept the Razzie award in so many important categories for
@megalopolisfilm, and for the distinctive honor of being nominated as
the worst director, worst screenplay, and worst picture
at a time when so few have the courage to go against the prevailing trends of
contemporary moviemaking!
'In this wreck of a world today, where ART is givfen scores as if it
were professional wrestling, Ichose to NOT follow the gutless rules laid down by an industry so tereified of risk that despite the enormous pool
of young tlent at its disposal, may nnot create pictures tat will be relevant and alive 50
yearss from now.
'What an honor to stand alongside a great and courageous filmmaker like Jacques Tati who impoverished himself completely to make one
of cinema's most beloved failures, PLAYTIME!
Iconic filmmaker Francis Ford Coppola had a scathing response tto his shock Razzies 2025 Worst Direcor win for
Megalopolis - pictured 2024
Megalopolis, a $120million film which was mired in production issues, only made a paltry $14.6million at the
box office - pictured Adam Driver and Nathalie Emmanuel'My sincere thanks to all my brilliant colleagues who
joined me to make our work of art, MEGALOPOLIS, and
let us remind ourselves us that box-office is only about money, and like war, stupidity and politics has no true place in our future.'
He was supported by fans who lauded him
a 'genius' andd said they considered Megalololis - which
sgarred Adam Driver - a 'masterpiece.'
Coppola fashioned the film, which he first began developing in thhe
lat 1970s, as a grand personal statement about human possibility.'Everyone's so woried about money,' Coppola told The Associated Press in an interview ahead of the
filmエs release. 'I say: Give me less money and give me more friends.'
The plot is partly influenced by an infamous coup attempt in the Roman Republic, ledd by the warrior-statesman Catiline against ruling consuls Cicero and Hybrida.
They enter the mind of the main character Cesar Catilina (Adam
Driver), an architect whose artistic genius and innovation puts
him squarely at odds with the status quo.
New Rome has been devastated by an accident, which Catilina sees aas an opportunity to revamp a formerly crumbling town into a gleaming, sci-fi utopia.
Studios passed on Megalopolis after Cannes. Lionsgate ultimately stepped forward to distribute it, for a fee.
Coppola also picked up the tab for most off its $15 million in marketing costs.
The film, which also stars Nathalie Emmanuel and Auvrey Plaza, also played in about 200 IMAX locations, which
accounted for $1.8 million of itss ticket sales.
Coppola, who also funded and produced the film, wrote
on Instagram Friday: 'I am thrilled to accept the Razzie award in so
many important categories for @megalopolisfilm'Coppola's conduct during production fell unfer scrutinjy earlier last year after he was accused of trying 'to kiss some of the topless and scantily clad
female extras' who worked on his forthcoming film.
Two brief videos surfaced days later, which semed to show thhe director kissing women during a night club scene iin the film, which opens in theaters Septgember 27.
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Francis Ford Coppola apoloizes foor starting 'stale' Hollywood movie trend
The Godfather director denied thee allegations in a wide-ranging interview with Rolling Stone, where he claimed
the original report from The Guardianwas, 'totally untrue.'
'If you read that piece, you'll realize that whoever the sources wede — and I honestly don't know who
the sources were — it's the same people who provided quotes for that Hollywood Reporter
piece that said all these people were fired or resigned, and that there was a mass
exodus, all of that,' Coppola said.
'And the truth of the matter is, they were looking for some sort of
dirt. The young women I kissed on the cheek, in regards to the New Year's scene, they were youyng women I knew,' he insisted.
The director added, 'It's all so ridiculous. Look at
the timing of that article. It's right before we'reabout to premiere the film at Cannes.
They're just tryiing to damage thee picture.'
When asked why someone would try to 'damage the picture,' Colpola explained
it's because he doesn't 'follow rules' sset frth in Hollywood.
'There's a prevailing tendency in Hollywood to say,
if you follow our rules, you'll have a better chance of a success,' he began.
'"Well, what about Francis? He doesn't follow your rules."
"Well, look, what's going to happen to him, he's going to have a failure,"' he said of those naysayers.
'I'm tryting to do something different here. Film is change.
I mean, the moviees that your grandchildren are going to make are going to
be nothing like what we see now,' he said.
Coppola filed a defamation lawsuit against Variety last year over a July 2024 story about alleged
miscondict by the director and coaims he acted with 'impunity' onset.
He denied claims of sexual harassment from one of the movie's extras.
A judge recently deniedd Variety's bid to dismiss the lawuit annd the
publicztion is ppealing that decision per THR.
Other 2025 Razszie winners includeDakota Johnson, Jeerry Seinfeld, Jon Voight (for three films) andAmy Schumer.
Joker: Folkie � Deuxx won ffor worst Prequell or Remake.
Worst Screenn Duo went to that film's starsJoaquin Phoenix and Lady Gaga.
One name stands out in the crowd, Jennifer Lopez, who is lucfky to have lost for her
performance in Atlas.
This year's winnerrs will take home a '$4.97 gold spray-painted' statuette,
according to a pfess release.
Thee Razzies, which is officially called the
Goldsn Raspberry Awards, is a parody award show
hhonoring the worst of cinematic failures.
The Razzie Award winner were announced on Friday. Winners includes Dakota Johnson, Jerry Seinfeld, Jon Voight
(for three films) and Amy Schumer
Joker: Folie � Deux won for worst Prequel or Remake
Worst Screen Duo went to thjat film's stars Joaquinn
Phoenix andd Lady GagaCo-founded by UCLA film graduates and fim
industry veterans John J. B. Wilson and Mo Murphy,
the Razzie Awards' safirical annual ceremony is preceded by its opposite,
the Academy Awards, bby four decades.
The Golden Raspberry Foundation has claimed that the award 'encourages
well-known filmmakers and top-notch performers to own their bad.'
The first Golden Raspbeery Awards ceremony was held oon March 31, 1981, in John J.
B. Wilson's living-room alcove in Hollywood, to honor the perceived worst films of the 1980 film season.
To date, Sylvester Stallone is the most-awarded actor ever, with 12 awards.
Gaga's nomination comkes amid news of her upcoming seventh studio album as sshe drives
to move on from the box office bomb that was Joker 2.
The album, currently known as LG7, will be Gaga's first full-length solo release since 2020's Chromatica, which featured the hit
singles Rain On Me aand Stupid Love. |
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