‘Megalopolis’ director Francis Ford Coppola ‘accepts’ Razzie by slamming ‘gutless’ industry
Francis Ford Coppola "won" Worst Director at the Razzie Awards for his ambitious, self-financed epic Megalopolis. And he actually accepted the "honor," letting the Razzies and Hollywood know what he thinks about them in an unfiltered social media post. "I am thrilled to accept the Razzie Award," he stated, "when so few have the courage to go against the prevailing trends of contemporary moviemaking!"
Coppola, a five-time Oscar winner, continued, "In this wreck of a world today, where ART is given scores as if it were professional wrestling, I chose to NOT follow the gutless rules laid down by an industry so terrified of risk that despite the enormous pool of young talent at its disposal, may not create pictures that will be relevant and alive 50 years from now." He said it was an honor to "stand alongside a great and courageous filmmaker like Jacques Tati who impoverished himself completely to make one of cinema’s most beloved failures, Playtime! My sincere thanks to all my brilliant colleagues who joined me to make our work of art, Megalopolis, and let us remind ourselves that box-office is only about money, and like war, stupidity and politics has no true place in our future."
He's in good company. The list of Worst Director champs at the Razzies runs the gamut from right-wing propagandist Dinesh D'Souza (Hillary's America: The Secret History of the Democratic Party) to gross-out comedian Tom Green (Freddie Got Fingered), but it has also gone to Oscar nominees and winners like Gus Van Sant (the Psycho remake), Kevin Costner (The Postman), Bill Condon (Twilight: Breaking Dawn — Part 2), and Tom Hooper (Cats). Now commenters on his Instagram are calling Coppola a "boss" and the "GOAT" for his response to the Razzie recognition.
But the more than 1,200 cineastes who decide the Razzies spared Coppola the indignity of winning Worst Picture. That went instead to Madame Web, the notorious Marvel comics offshoot from Feb. 2024 that bombed with critics and audiences. It also received Worst Actress for Dakota Johnson, a previous winner for the critically drubbed erotic drama Fifty Shades of Grey, and Worst Screenplay. Elsewhere, the Emmy-nominated film Unfrosted claimed a pair of $4.97 trophies for Worst Actor (Jerry Seinfeld) and Worst Supporting Actress (Amy Schumer). The unsuccessful sequel Joker: Folie à Deux, which followed up the Oscar-winning Joker, also prevailed twice: Worst Screen Combo for Joaquin Phoenix and Lady Gaga and Worst Prequel, Remake, Rip-off, or Sequel.
But the Razzies gave out one positive prize. The Redeemer Award, decided by the Razzie Board of Governors, goes to a notorious Razzie favorite who turned things around to produce acclaimed work. This year that award went to Pamela Anderson, who recently earned Golden Globe and SAG Award nominations for the indie film The Last Showgirl. Perhaps surprisingly, the Redeemer Award didn't go to two-time Worst Actress winner Demi Moore, who this year is a Best Actress Oscar nominee for The Substance. You can't win 'em all.
Worst Picture
Borderlands
Joker: Folie à Deux
[winner] Madame Web
Megalopolis
Reagan
Worst Actor
Jack Black, Dear Santa
Zachary Levi, Harold and the Purple Crayon
Joaquin Phoenix, Joker: Folie à Deux
Dennis Quaid, Reagan
[winner] Jerry Seinfeld, Unfrosted
Worst Actress
Cate Blanchett, Borderlands
Lady Gaga, Joker: Folie à Deux
Bryce Dallas Howard, Argylle
[winner] Dakota Johnson, Madame Web
Jennifer Lopez, Atlas
Worst Supporting Actor
Jack Black, Borderlands
Kevin Hart, Borderlands
Shia LaBeouf, Megalopolis
Tahar Rahim, Madame Web
[winner] Jon Voight, Megalopolis/Reagan/Shadow Land/Strangers
Worst Supporting Actress
Ariana DeBose, Argylle/Kraven the Hunter
Leslie Anne Down, Reagan
Emma Roberts, Madame Web
[winner] Amy Schumer, Unfrosted
FKA Twigs, The Crow
Worst Director
S.J. Clarkson, Madame Web
[winner] Francis Ford Coppola, Megalopolis
Todd Phillips, Joker: Folie à Deux
Eli Roth, Borderlands
Jerry Seinfeld, Unfrosted
Worst Screen Combo
Any Two Obnoxious Characters (But Especially Jack Black), Borderlands
Any Two Unfunny "Comedic Actors," Unfrosted
The Entire Cast of Megalopolis
[winner] Joaquin Phoenix and Lady Gaga, Joker: Folie à Deux
Dennis Quaid and Penelope Ann Miller, Reagan
Worst Prequel, Remake, Rip-Off or Sequel
The Crow
[winner] Joker: Folie à Deux
Kraven the Hunter
Mufasa: The Lion King
Rebel Moon 2: The Scargiver
Worst Screenplay
Joker: Folie à Deux
Kraven the Hunter
[winner] Madame Web
Megalopolis
Reagan