Megalopolis Soundtrack 2024: Megalopolis is Francis Ford Coppola’s self-financed epic science-fiction drama, a passion project he developed for over four decades before it finally released in theaters on September 27, 2024. Coppola wrote, directed, and produced the film, which stars Adam Driver as a visionary architect determined to rebuild a fictionalized New York (“New Rome”) as a utopia.
Synopsis: Visionary architect Cesar Catilina (Adam Driver) wants to rebuild New York City as a utopia following a devastating disaster, clashing with the corrupt mayor, Franklyn Cicero (Giancarlo Esposito), whose daughter Julia Cicero (Nathalie Emmanuel) becomes romantically entangled with Cesar.
Genres: Drama, Sci-Fi, Fantasy
Quick Facts
| Title | Megalopolis |
| Release Date | September 27, 2024 (theatrical); soundtrack released September 27, 2024 |
| Director | Francis Ford Coppola |
| Composer/Music | Osvaldo Golijov |
| Genre | Drama, Science Fiction |
| Studio | American Zoetrope / Lionsgate |
Who Composed the Megalopolis Score?
- Osvaldo Golijov: The Grammy-winning Argentine-American composer wrote the film’s orchestral score. Coppola personally invited Golijov to Napa Valley back in 2003 to discuss the project, decades before the film was finally made. The 32-track soundtrack album, released September 27, 2024, blends Golijov’s original score with classical pieces heard in the film, and critics compared it favorably to the Golden Age film-scoring style of Miklós Rózsa and Bernard Herrmann. Golijov later adapted the score into a symphonic suite, premiered by the Chicago Symphony Orchestra on November 8, 2024.
- Grace VanderWaal: The America’s Got Talent winner and singer-songwriter makes her film acting debut in Megalopolis as Vesta Sweetwater, and wrote and performed two original songs featured in the film: “My Pledge” and “No Turning Around,” including a live musical performance staged during a wedding-reception scene at Madison Square Garden.
Where to Stream the Megalopolis Soundtrack
Osvaldo Golijov’s 32-track score album is available on Spotify, Apple Music, and Amazon Music via Milan Records.
Official Trailer: The film released in theaters on September 27, 2024, after Coppola self-financed the estimated $120-136 million budget. You can watch the official trailer on YouTube below.
Cast
- Adam Driver as Cesar Catilina
- Giancarlo Esposito as Mayor Franklyn Cicero
- Nathalie Emmanuel as Julia Cicero
- Aubrey Plaza, Shia LaBeouf, Jon Voight, Laurence Fishburne, Talia Shire, and Jason Schwartzman in supporting roles
- Grace VanderWaal as Vesta Sweetwater
Adam Driver told Collider, “It’s so imaginative, big, epic, and bold. It takes a risk, and I couldn’t be more excited by it.”
How Was Megalopolis Received?
After decades in development, Megalopolis divided critics on release, landing around 51% on Rotten Tomatoes and 56/100 on Metacritic — reviews ranged from calling it a “bursting-at-the-seams hallucination of a movie” (The New York Times) to “a passion project without passion” (The Guardian). Commercially, it was one of the biggest box-office bombs of 2024: against a reported $120-136 million self-financed budget, it grossed only about $14.4 million worldwide. Golijov’s score, however, was widely singled out as one of the film’s strongest elements, with several critics calling it among the best film scores of the year.
(Sources: Wikipedia, The Philadelphia Inquirer, Collider)
Frequently Asked Questions
Who composed the Megalopolis score?
Osvaldo Golijov composed the original orchestral score. Grace VanderWaal, who also stars in the film, wrote and performed two original songs, “My Pledge” and “No Turning Around.”
Has Megalopolis been released?
Yes. Megalopolis released in theaters on September 27, 2024, after premiering at the Cannes Film Festival earlier that year.
Was Megalopolis a box office success?
No. Despite a self-financed budget of roughly $120-136 million, the film grossed only about $14.4 million worldwide, making it one of the biggest box-office flops of 2024. Critical reception was similarly mixed, though the score was widely praised.
Where can I listen to the Megalopolis soundtrack?
The 32-track score album by Osvaldo Golijov is available on Spotify, Apple Music, and Amazon Music.
Related reading: Movie Soundtrack hub | Prime Video