First look released of Adam Driver in The Godfather director's new sci-fi epic that's been in the making for 23 years

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Following an intriguing teaser, the first proper look at Francis Ford Coppola's Megalopolis has been released. Adam Driver and Nathalie Emmanuel star in the intriguing first image, set against the backdrop of a retro-futuristic New York City.

In the upcoming movie from The Godfather director, which is described as a sci-fi saga inspired by Roman epics, Star Wars actor Driver plays an idealistic architect named Caesar who hopes to rebuild the once great city. Meanwhile, Game of Thrones actor Emmanuel is Julia Cicero, the socialite daughter of a corrupt mayor (played by Giancarlo Esposito), and Driver's character's nemesis. 

The synopsis of the film teases that Emmanuel's character is caught between the two men amid her search for life's meaning. Vanity Fair shared the first image, which you can see below.

The sprawling cast also stars Aubrey Plaza, Shia LaBeouf, Dustin Hoffman, Jon Voight, Laurence Fishburne, and Jason Schwartzman. In a statement accompanying the first look, Coppola shared that he's been working on the film for 23 years (not the 40 that's often reported) and it's heavily inspired by ancient Rome. 

"Ultimately, after a lot of time, I settled on the idea of a Roman epic," Apocalypse Now director Coppola says. "And then later, a Roman epic set in modern America, so I really only began writing this script, on and off, in the last dozen years or so. Also, as I have made many films of many different subjects and in many different styles, I hoped for a project later in life when I might better understand what my personal style was."

Early leaked reactions to the film from an industry screening have been divisive. One viewer shared that it was "unflinching in how batshit it is" while another said the ending is "baffling". It will debut at the Cannes Film Festival in a few weeks when the first official reviews will be released ahead of its expected release later this year.

For more upcoming movies, here's our guide to 2024 movie release dates.

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