Francis Ford Coppola’s ambitious, deeply personal passion projectMegalopolisends with a touching dedication, “For my beloved,” that dedicates the movie to one of the most important people in the director’s life. After a rocky road of development hell, behind-the-scenes drama, and distribution deal chaos,Megalopolishas made it into theaters and audiences across the world are wrapping their heads around it. The filmmaker has been dreaming up ideas for this epic sci-fi drama since the 1970s, and thanks toCoppola’s self-financed $120 million budget, the movie is finally a reality.
SinceMegalopolishas been rattling around Coppola’s head for decades, occupying his mind for most of his life, it’s one of his most personal movies. It’s a family affair; the cast and crew are full of Coppola’s relatives. His son Roman Coppola was the film’s second unit director. His sister Talia Shire, his nephew Jason Schwartzman, and his granddaughter Romy Mars all appear inMegalopolis’ sprawling ensemble cast.Perhaps the most personal part ofMegalopolisis the dedication at the end of the film, honoring one of Coppola’s closest loved ones.
Megalopolis Is Dedicated To Francis Ford Coppola’s Late Wife, Eleanor
Eleanor Coppola, Née Neil, Passed Away On Jul 01, 2025
The closing dedication inMegalopolisreads, “For my beloved wife, Eleanor.” Coppola’s wife Eleanor Coppola, née Neil, sadly passed away earlier this year on July 13, 2025 (viaThe Washington Post).Neil met Coppola while she was working as an assistant art director on the set of his debut feature, the low-budget Roger Corman-produced horror filmDementia 13. After the two had been dating for a few months, Neil discovered she was pregnant and she and Coppola got married in 1963 before the birth of their first son, Gian-Carlo Coppola, who became an actor and producer.
Throughout their more-than-six-decade marriage, the Coppolas collaborated closely on creative projects.
Throughout their more-than-six-decade marriage, the Coppolas collaborated closely on creative projects and had two more children, Roman and Sofia Coppola, both of whom would follow in their father’s footsteps and become film directors. Eleanor Coppola chronicled 30 years of her family’s life in the memoirNotes on a Life. The book follows the unique struggle of raising children while moving all over the globe to accommodate her husband’s filmmaking career. She writes about the tragedy of losing her eldest son at age 22 and the controversy surroundingSofia’s casting inThe Godfather Part III.
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Eleanor Coppola passed away in Rutherford, California, on June 13, 2025, at the age of 87. In an interview withRolling Stone, Francis Ford Coppola revealed that his wife had been diagnosed with thymoma in 2010. Her doctor told her they could remove it with three months of chemotherapy, but she refused the treatment. Francis said, “She wanted to do what she wanted to do.”Eleanor passed away shortly before Francis completed and released his passion project,Megalopolis, which couldn’t have been made without her unwavering support, so he decided to dedicate the film to her memory.
Eleanor Coppola’s Movie Career Explained
Eleanor Coppola Was A Respected Filmmaker In Her Own Right
While Francis Ford Coppola is undoubtedly the most renowned filmmaker in the family, Eleanor Coppola had a respectable movie career of her own. She was best known fordirecting making-of documentariesabout her family’s movies. Eleanor directedMaking of The Virgin SuicidesandThe Making of Marie Antoinette, chronicling the production of two of Sofia’s most iconic films, and she also helmedFrancis Ford Coppola Directs John Grisham’s The Rainmaker. Most famously, she directedHearts of Darkness: A Filmmaker’s Apocalypse, the acclaimed 1991 documentary charting the troubled production of her husband’s ambitious Vietnam War epicApocalypse Now.
Eleanor Coppola won an Emmy for directingHearts of Darkness: A Filmmaker’s Apocalypse.
Eleanor is credited as the videographer forOn the Set of CQ, about the making of Roman’s debut movie, and the second camera operator on Lynn Hershman Leeson’sTeknolust. Her footage fromthe making ofApocalypse Nowwas later used in otherApocalypse Now-related documentaries:A Million Feet of Film: The Editing of Apocalypse Now,Heard Any Good Movies Lately?: The Sound Design of Apocalypse Now, andThe Music of Apocalypse Now. Eleanor made her narrative directing debut after her diagnosis, starting with the 2016 comedyParis Can Waitand continuing with the 2020 dramaLove is Love is Love.
How Francis Ford Coppola Dedicating Megalopolis To His Wife Changes The Movie
The Dedication Reframes Megalopolis As A Tribute To Eleanor’s Decades Of Support
The fact that Francis Ford Coppola dedicatedMegalopolisto his late wife reframes the entire movie.In many ways, it’s a love storyabout how Cesar Catilina’s love for Julia Cicero allows him to let go of his dark past. Cesar is a brilliant, ambitious creator trying to achieve his dreams, and the movie explores the importance of Julia’s support in making that possible. This is likely a parallel to the director’s relationship with Eleanor, whose support made his filmmaking career possible.
Megalopolis
Cast
Megalopolis, directed by Francis Ford Coppola, is a visionary 2024 film exploring the ambitious dream of reconstructing New York City into a utopia, following a devastating disaster. The narrative delves into the clash between the architect’s utopian vision and the political and personal turmoil that ensues. With a star-studded cast, the film examines themes of ambition, power, and the human spirit’s resilience against the backdrop of a futuristic metropolis.
