Home / Arts and Entertainment / Maverick Director Coppola Embraces Chaos in Making of $140M Passion Project
Maverick Director Coppola Embraces Chaos in Making of $140M Passion Project
27 Aug
Summary
- Filmmaker Mike Figgis documents Francis Ford Coppola's making of Megalopolis
- Coppola thrives on chaos and creative tensions during the VFX-heavy production
- Figgis captures Coppola's improvisational style clashing with modern filmmaking protocols
In August 2025, acclaimed British filmmaker Mike Figgis found himself embedded in the production of Francis Ford Coppola's long-awaited passion project, Megalopolis. Figgis, known for films like Leaving Las Vegas, had been invited by the 83-year-old director to document the making of the $140 million independent production, which Coppola was financing entirely out of his own pocket.
Figgis' resulting documentary, Megadoc, offers a candid, fly-on-the-wall look at Coppola's creative process. The film captures the legendary director thriving on the chaos and creative tensions that arose during the VFX-heavy shoot, even as he clashed with collaborators like supporting star Shia LaBeouf. Figgis observes Coppola's improvisational, intuitive approach butting up against the rigid protocols of modern filmmaking, as the veteran auteur navigates the logistical demands of his ambitious, experimental vision.
Despite the production's tumultuous moments, including the firing of key creative personnel, Figgis notes that Coppola seemed energized by the challenges, seeing them as opportunities to solve creative problems. The documentary offers a unique, insider's perspective on the making of a landmark work of experimental cinema, as the director of The Godfather and Apocalypse Now continues to push the boundaries of his craft well into his 80s.
