One part of the Megalopolis distribution puzzle could be close to falling into place in France.
The country’s Le Point magazine reported on Tuesday that Paris-based distributor Le Pacte had acquired French rights for Francis Ford Coppola’s $120M self-financed epic ahead of its world premiere in Competition at Cannes.
Contacted by Deadline, Le Pacte CEO Jean Labadie played down the reports but did not deny talks, saying: “We don’t have the film yet. Nothing is signed.”
Deadline has also reached out to Coppola and his reps.
Speculation around French release plans for Megalopolis had been brewing ever since its Cannes Competition slot was announced by Delegate General Thierry Frémaux at the festival’s press conference on April 11.
Under Cannes regulations, films selected for Competition must release theatrically in France and cannot debut first on a streamer in the country.
This stipulation is thorny because France’s strict windowing rules require a 17-month gap between a theatrical release and a film’s launch on global streaming platforms, apart from Netflix which has negotiated a 15-month delay in return for meeting extra investment obligations.
Last year, Martin Scorsese’s Apple-financed Killers of the Flower Moon was not bound by the stipulation because it played Out of Competition.
Nonetheless, Apple played ball setting a theatrical release with Paramount Pictures France on October 19, around the same time as its theatrical release elsewhere.
Le Point questioned the financial implications of the deal for Le Pacte but noted that Labadie has a long track record in seemingly risky but savvy acquisitions.
The distributor’s recent Cannes acquisitions include Justine Triet’s Oscar winner Anatomy of a Fall, Maïwenn’s Johnny Depp-starrer Jeanne du Barry and Ladj Ly’s breakout Les Misérables.
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