Megalopolis, Francis Ford Coppola’s latest cinematic endeavor, is already generating buzz well before most audiences have had a chance to see it. The film raises many questions, from its potential status as a future masterpiece to the eccentricities of its characters like Aubrey Plaza’s Wow Platinum and the inclusion of Shia LaBeouf. The buzz isn’t just about the film itself; it’s also about an unusual interactive experience being featured at select screenings.
The Live Interactive Experience
At the Cannes premiere, one particularly memorable moment occurred: a live actor posed a pre-scripted question to Adam Driver’s character, Cesar Catalina, during a press conference scene. This wasn’t merely a one-time stunt; Lionsgate is including this interactive element in specific IMAX screenings during the film’s opening weekend. Imagine going to see a movie and having a real person interrupt the scene onscreen to engage directly with the characters. It’s innovative—or maybe just plain goofy—but one thing is certain: it’s definitely intriguing.
How to Catch It and Maybe Even Participate
To witness this live element, you’ll need to choose screenings labeled “The Ultimate Experience” when buying your tickets. According to IndieWire, only 34 showtimes across 1,700 screens and 200 IMAX locations featured live participants on both Friday, September 27, and Saturday, September 28. In other showings, this interactive moment will be replaced by a voiceover from an offscreen “journalist.”
Here’s where things get even more interesting: the person asking Adam Driver’s character the question might be a theater employee or even an audience member. Though the question they get to ask is pre-determined and fits within the film’s plot, you can be sure any deviation would add to Coppola’s legend. However, you won’t get to ask Adam Driver if he’d consider a Girls reboot or pose any other burning inquiry you might have.
Why This Matters
This move to incorporate live elements marks a fresh attempt to make cinema more interactive, maybe even more personal. It’s not unlike the early days of The Rocky Horror Picture Show screenings, where audience participation became a key component of the movie-going experience. Whether Coppola’s experiment with live interaction will become a trend or a quirky footnote in cinematic history remains to be seen. However, it clearly indicates an effort to reinvigorate the movie theater experience at a time when home streaming dominates.
Closing Credits
Megalopolis is not just a film; it’s an event, blending traditional storytelling with live theater elements. To experience this unique blend, you need to secure tickets for “The Ultimate Experience” screenings, mostly in IMAX theaters, on September 27 and 28. If you’re one of the audience members pulled into the spectacle, remember to follow the script—but wouldn’t we all love to hear about someone going off-script? To see if this could be a piece of cinema history or just a curious experiment, check the full list of screenings on IndieWire.
(Source: IndieWire)
