Francis Ford Coppola, legendary filmmaker behind The Godfather trilogy and Apocalypse Now, made waves in 2021 by selling a large portion of his California wine business. But this wasn’t just another celebrity stepping back from wine—it was a high-stakes move to fund a passion project that had been over 40 years in the making.

The sale of Coppola’s winery, reportedly valued at US$500 million, provided the financial fuel for Megalopolis, a decades-old cinematic vision that traditional studios refused to touch. Ambitious in both theme and scope, the sci-fi epic required US$120 million in production costs and an additional US$20 million for marketing—funds Coppola personally fronted after parting with a key portion of his wine empire.

From grape to grandeur: the winery deal

The transaction saw Delicato Family Wines acquire the Francis Ford Coppola wine portfolio, along with two Sonoma County facilities—Francis Ford Coppola Winery and Virginia Dare Winery in Geyserville. These included the prestigious Archimedes Vineyard. However, not all of Coppola’s wine ventures were sold; he and his family retained full ownership of Inglenook and Domaine de Broglie Winery in Oregon, keeping part of the legacy under their control.

Coppola’s wine brand had become a major player in the American premium wine market, blending cinematic storytelling with approachable, quality wines. But to fund Megalopolis, he was willing to let go of this thriving business, proving his passion for cinema still came first.

Megalopolis: a dream decades in the making

Set in a futuristic reimagining of New York as “New Rome,” Megalopolis stars Adam Driver as Cesar Catalina, an idealistic architect who dreams of rebuilding a utopian city. His vision is challenged by the authoritarian Mayor Franklyn Cicero, played by Giancarlo Esposito. The ensemble cast also features Nathalie Emmanuel, Aubrey Plaza, and Jon Voight, adding depth to Coppola’s dystopian narrative.

Production, however, was anything but smooth. Coppola reportedly fired his visual effects team mid-shoot, opting instead for old-school practical techniques—a nod to the director’s earlier filmmaking style. The set was described as disorganised, with rewrites, delays, and unconventional decisions that left many wondering if the film would ever be completed.

But Coppola stayed the course. “You don’t get any award for just being conservative,” he said at Cannes. “In my case, I did it. I did all the things other people would just regret that they didn’t try.”

Critical acclaim and commercial uncertainty

When Megalopolis premiered at the Cannes Film Festival, it received a seven-minute standing ovation. Critics, however, were split. Some lauded it as a “modern masterwork” and a bold return to form for Coppola. Others found fault in its pacing and narrative complexity, calling it ambitious but uneven.

More concerning was the film’s box office performance. Opening to just US$4 million in North America, Megalopolis has yet to show signs of recouping its enormous costs. Traditional Hollywood studios had declined to support its distribution, citing the film’s niche appeal. Ultimately, it was five independent European distributors who stepped in shortly before Cannes to bring it to the screen.

Legacy over profit

Despite financial setbacks, Coppola remains undeterred. For him, Megalopolis was never about chasing commercial success—it was about realising a dream. The willingness to sell his winery, fund the project independently, and weather creative turbulence speaks to his unwavering commitment to artistic freedom.

His story is a rare one in Hollywood: a director betting everything, not on a guaranteed hit, but on an uncompromising vision. Whether Megalopolis becomes a cult classic or a cautionary tale, it marks another bold chapter in Coppola’s storied career—and in the intersection of wine, art, and ambition.