Difference between the Original Script & The Finished Film

Here is am telling the difference between the script that is out online and what is in the finished film. There are some similarities between them and the plot beats are overall the same, but the script is very different then what is in the finished film.

The Names were different. Serge Catiline, Frank Cicero, Gene Hamilton, Claude Hamilton. The only names that stayed the same are Julia Cicero, Vesta Sweetwater, Fundi Romaine, Stanley Hart, Terry Cicero

Coppola also decided to cut some characters from the script, which are Davy Cato, Miriam Carteret, Tim & Tom Boni, Rebecca Silver, Morgenthau, Anton Smith, & Mead Milo.

In the finished film, we find out that Sex tape between Serge & Vesta are fake and that Vesta is also much older than she appears to be. However in the script, The sex tape is in fact real, but Vesta being older is the same, and because of this, Serge is let off for Rape, but your left wondering if Serge would of still done it if he knew her age.

In the finished film, Wow Platinum enlists the help of Clodio Pulcher to help here seize control of Hamilton Crassus’s bank, however he figures it out and he kills her with the blow, but wounds Clodio. However in the Script, she insteads plots with Davy Cato, who also wants to take over the bank. However, Hamilton (who is Gene Hamilton in the script), figures it out, and like in the finished film, kills them both Cleopatra, Marc Antony Style.

In the original script, Clodio Pulcher was named Claude Hamilton and he had a friend named Anton Smith by his side. The intentions where that he wanted to be king of new rome, and decided, to achieve that goal, he decided through charm and charisma get together all the immigrants and their votes so when it comes election day, he has to votes to be elected and get those he hate out of power. However, his actions grab the attention of Mead Milo & Nush Berman, who have concluded that Claude needed to be taken care of. However, when they go & meet with Claude, Claude ambushed them and kills Nush and Mead only escapes with his life.

Claude’s end is also different, as Megalopolis is beginning its grand opening, Claude and his legion of supporters are ambushed by Mead Milo, and Mead, avenging Nush, shoots Claude in the back with his hunting rifle, only after giving Claude the chance to run.

The ending is also different, In the finished film, Cicero & Catilina become allies after rioters attempt to storm City Hall, Pulcher and Wow taunt the bedridden Crassus, but Crassus kills Wow and injures Pulcher with a hidden bow and arrow disguised as his erection. Cesar confronts the rioters, pleading with them to believe in his vision of a better future. His speech wins over the crowd, whose members hang Pulcher upside down. With renewed financial support from Crassus, Cesar finally completes Megalopolis. Cicero, holding Julia and Cesar's baby daughter, Sunny Hope, promises to help Cesar build a better future.

However in the Original Script, Cicero & Catilina do not become allies, as because of Mead Milo’s successful hit on Claude. It insteads turn him into a martyr for his supporters and with Anton Smith leading the charge, they successfully storm City Hall & Because of extraordinary circumstances Serge unintentionally incites it. Because of this, Cicero believes that Serge is now leading an uprising, & as Mead has return from the chaos, he and Frank have a talk.

As people get ready for the opening of Megalopolis, multiple cars, which Serge’s bodyguard Fundi recognized as not city cars. Mead Milo comes out his car and with other men & begin shooting bullets. They successfully kill Fundi & Serge, Julia see’s Mead and a gunman ask what should they do with her. Mead gives a signal, and Julia is shot dead. As the countdown begins, Frank is in his car with Commissioner Stanley Hart and he is made aware that they shot Serge, but is shock to find that they killed Julia as well. There is a closeup on Frank’s face as he realized what he has done, and there is the death of a soul.

When Megalopolis finally opened, we see Serge & Julia descends to heaven and that is when the script ends

Overall, I think the script was better as I think Coppola forgot that the story at its core, is a Greek tragedy like Rome before it. I also think the character (especially Frank Cicero) where more 3 dimensional than in the final film.

Do you think Coppola was right with these changes.

Also here is the script- https://8flix.com/assets/screenplays/m/tt10128846/Megalopolis-2024-screenplay.pdf