Francis Ford Coppola Unleashes Shocking Comparison: Is America the New Rome Falling to an Emperor?

Francis Ford Coppola draws parallels between America's political landscape and ancient Rome's decline in his new film, *Megalopolis*, sparking vital conversations on unity and creativity.

– Francis Ford Coppola thinks America’s political scene is a lot like ancient Rome’s downfall (and he’s not shy about it).
– He’s got a new film called “Megalopolis,” featuring Adam Driver as a visionary artist battling a stuck-in-the-past mayor played by Giancarlo Esposito.
– Coppola’s all about bridging divides with his cast, including actors with diverse political views, and he’s super fired up for some honest debate about what’s next for America.

Alright, grab your popcorn and settle in because we’ve got some spicy Hollywood gossip mixed with a generous side of politics. Francis Ford Coppola just took a big ol’ dive into the political pool while promoting his new flick, *Megalopolis*. You’re gonna love this one, folks! So, grab a drink because we’re about to get deep into the cinematic chaos that mirrors our oh-so-charming American political climate.

Picture this: we’re at the New York Film Festival. Coppola’s on stage, flanked by legends Robert De Niro and Spike Lee, engaging in a discussion that’s juicier than any reality show. He’s not just here to talk cinema; oh no, he’s linking his new film to the fate of our beloved America, which he boldly claims is just like the fall of Rome. Spoiler alert: things ain’t looking good!

Coppola gets all dramatic and says America is like Rome right at the point where it decided that having emperors was a swell idea (cue the ominous music). Who knew a filmmaker could throw around ideas sharper than Leonardo DiCaprio’s jawline? He points out that both societies got comfy with their wealth while forgetting who put them there. Seems like our politicians might need a wake-up call instead of another luxurious vacation!

He paints a picture where wealthy senators—can you hear the “ka-ching” of their bank accounts?—are too busy counting their coins to bother running the country. If that doesn’t have you rolling your eyes, I don’t know what will. Sounds familiar, right? Coppola says, “Hey, if we keep this up, we might lose it all!” Now that’s dramatic storytelling, and he’s not even writing the script!

And hold on, Spike Lee chimes in with some classic humor that’s as sharp as a tack. He asks about Romans munching on cats and dogs—what a twist! If that doesn’t make you chuckle, well, maybe stand-up isn’t for you? It’s a reference to Trump’s questionable comments about immigrants. Gotta love when political discussion gets a bit of comic relief!

As the conversation goes on, Coppola drops another bombshell: he purposely hired folks with different political viewpoints for the feisty cast of *Megalopolis*. Imagine that cocktail party! Actors who don’t see eye to eye on everything—sounds like a blast, right? He goes all Jedi on us, suggesting a harmonious dance, saying the folks in his film can all vibe together and keep the creativity flowing. I mean, who doesn’t love a little tension to spice things up?

As he puts it, “I want everyone to be in on the debate.” And honestly, can you blame him? We need to rally the troops and make sure no questions are too hot to handle. More political debates, less TikTok dance-offs, please!

Let’s rewind for a second. Did you catch that he sold his family’s wine company to fund this film? I guess Coppola knows a thing or two about risking it all for your art. Talk about putting your money where your mouth is or in this case, your wine. And oh, he casually mentions his guilty role in naming movie sequels with numbers—thanks for starting that trend, Francis!

Lee shares some love for his buddy Coppola, citing his fearlessness in navigating the cinematic battlefield. It’s inspiring! Seems like Coppola’s got a real knack for whipping up stories that both entertain and provoke thought, kinda like a fine wine that gets better with age.

And you know De Niro? He jumps back into the political fray by discussing how we have to get seriously active and stop those “not real Republicans.” Whatever that means, right? He’s all about putting up a fight against Trump, who he thinks could potentially direct an apocalypse instead of a blockbuster hit. Oh the drama!

But let’s be real, could you picture Donald Trump trying to tell a serious story about the fall of a society? Ha! It’d probably be full of neon colors, Twitter references, and, well, tweets. All structure goes out the window when he’s involved!

Coppola wraps up this glittering talk with a quick quip about how he once knew Trump back in the day. Spoiler alert: he wasn’t the rich guy in military school. No way he would’ve been the tuba player—what a moment! You really can’t script this stuff; it feels like a movie already!

And folks, Megalopolis is hitting theaters soon, so be ready for the cinematic ride of political baloney mixed with human drama! If this conversation gets you fired up to debate about the country (and get some friends talking), you know what to do. Share this! Let’s get the chatter buzzing!