In an unexpected decision, Lionsgate has decided to retract the newly released trailer for its upcoming film Megalopolis, which was introduced earlier today.
This action was taken in response to a backlash over critic quotes included in the trailer that investigations by Vulture and other sources revealed were not authentic.
“Lionsgate is immediately recalling our trailer for Megalopolis,” stated a studio spokesperson. “We sincerely apologize to the critics involved and to Francis Ford Coppola and American Zoetrope for this unacceptable mistake in our vetting process. We messed up. We are sorry.”
The quotes cited in the Megalopolis trailer brought attention to earlier “criticisms” of Coppola’s acclaimed films, including The Godfather and Apocalypse Now, from renowned critics like Pauline Kael of The New Yorker and Andrew Sarris of the Village Voice. For instance, Kael was quoted as saying The Godfather was “diminished by its artsiness,” while Sarris referred to it as a “sloppy self-indulgent movie.”
The intention behind these messages appeared to suggest that, although Megalopolis has sparked division among critics since its premiere at Cannes, it could ultimately be recognized as a classic, similar to many of Coppola’s previous films. It remains unclear how false quotes from multiple critics, including Roger Ebert, Vincent Canby, John Simon, Stanley Kauffmann, and Rex Reed, ended up in the trailer.
In addition to the trailer controversy, Megalopolis has faced other challenges leading up to its release. In July, Variety published a report alleging unprofessional behavior by Coppola, alongside a video showing the director kissing extras on set. A week later, one of the women in the video, Rayna Menz, spoke out against the report, stating, “He did nothing to make me or anyone else on set feel uncomfortable. I felt disgusted because it was a closed set. That someone had video of that is just ridiculous and super unprofessional.”
Self-funded by Coppola with a budget exceeding $100 million, Megalopolis is portrayed as a Roman epic set in a reimagined modern America. The narrative follows the City of New Rome as it confronts change, leading to conflict between Cesar Catilina (Adam Driver), a visionary artist striving for a utopian future, and Mayor Franklyn Cicero (Giancarlo Esposito), who clings to a regressive status quo fueled by greed and political strife. Caught in the middle is socialite Julia Cicero (Nathalie Emmanuel), the mayor’s daughter, whose love for Cesar forces her to navigate her divided loyalties and determine what she believes humanity deserves.
This film marks Coppola’s first feature since 2011’s Twixt and features an ensemble cast including Aubrey Plaza, Shia LaBeouf, Jon Voight, Laurence Fishburne, Kathryn Hunter, and Dustin Hoffman. Producers of the film include Barry Hirsch, Fred Roos, and Michael Bederman.
Lionsgate plans to release Megalopolis in U.S. theaters on September 27.