Francis Ford Coppola Hospitalized in Rome Following U.S. ‘Megalopolis’ Tour
Legendary filmmaker Francis Ford Coppola has been hospitalized in Rome for a scheduled cardiac procedure. The 86-year-old director is currently under the care of renowned cardiovascular specialist Dr. Andrea Natale, who has been Coppola’s trusted physician for over three decades. Sources confirm that the filmmaker is resting comfortably following the procedure.
Recent Activities and ‘Megalopolis’ Tour
Prior to his hospitalization, Coppola had just completed an extensive six-city U.S. tour promoting his latest film “Megalopolis” in partnership with Live Nation. The tour’s final stop was at San Francisco’s Palace of Fine Arts, where he conducted a screening and Q&A session last Friday.
During the San Francisco event, Coppola shared personal reflections with the audience about his life and legacy. “I’m 85,” he remarked (though he is now 86), “I lost my wife [Eleanor Coppola] a year ago, around this time. But my attitude for death is that I always lived my life so that when I was at the moment approaching death, I wouldn’t say, ‘Oh, I wish I had done this and I wish I had done that.’ Instead, I say to myself, ‘I got to do this.'”
New Italian Project in Development
Before his medical procedure, Coppola had been actively working in Italy, specifically in the Calabria region, where he was scouting locations for an upcoming project. “I’m here in Calabria to see some locations for a new project that’s very important to me,” the director stated to local media. “A new film that will focus on the beautiful things of Calabria.”
Notably, Coppola has emphasized that his new Italian project will deviate from his famous mafia-themed storytelling, known from “The Godfather” trilogy. “Calabria is a region very famous for its mafia, but that doesn’t interest me. My film instead will focus solely on the beautiful things about this region,” he explained.
Career Highlights
- Recently completed “Megalopolis” promotional tour
- Self-financed latest film project
- Currently developing new project in Calabria, Italy
- Continues active filmmaking career at 86