Francis Ford Coppola’s Vision: Voice Recognition Technology for Megalopolis Described as “Insane”

Megalopolis is rapidly becoming one of the most divisive films of the year, with renowned director Francis Ford Coppola presenting a unique proposal to Amazon that could have taken his epic to an even more unconventional level.

Coppola described an innovative “software” feature for the sci-fi film, where the movie would cut to black following a significant disaster scene, prompting the theater’s house lights to illuminate. Subsequently, a user would enter the screening with a microphone.

During this moment, audience members would have the chance to pose questions to the on-screen representation of Adam Driver. Utilizing voice recognition technology, Amazon Alexa would direct the projector to display a pre-recorded response that most closely matched the inquiry.

“Imagine!” Coppola exclaimed [via The Telegraph]. “You could experience Megalopolis five times in its opening week, and each time would be different! It would combine the future of cinema with the essence of ancient theater!”

Adam Driver as Cesar in Megalopolis — Lionsgate

Regrettably, this visionary concept didn’t come to fruition, as Amazon laid off thousands of employees between 2022 and 2023, including the team responsible for developing this groundbreaking technology for Megalopolis.

While this idea might seem far-fetched, an element of it was incorporated into the final cut of the film. Adam Driver actually suggested to Coppola that they include one of the filmed responses in the movie, where an usher could pose a pre-arranged question to the screen.

This approach was successfully executed at the film’s premiere at Cannes, and images from the event are available online. Notably, this unique aspect will feature in select screenings of Megalopolis in the UK later this month.

The initial concept for Megalopolis has ignited considerable discussion on social media, with opinions split between admiration and confusion.

One user on X humorously remarked, “Movie going for like 5 hours because I keep asking about Girls.” Another added: “We were so close to the funniest movie experience ever conceived.”

A third user stated, “Bro trying to turn cinema into a smartphone app,” while another commented: “That would’ve been INSANE.”

Megalopolis is set to hit theaters on September 27, 2024.

For additional information, check out upcoming movies releasing this month. You can also explore the best war films and romantic movies for more cinematic excitement.

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