The latest trailer for Megalopolis has been taken down.
On Wednesday, August 21, 2024, Lionsgate posted a new trailer for Francis Ford Coppola’s Megalopolis, which releases in United States theaters on September 27, 2024. The beginning of the trailer features derisive quotes from famous critics about Coppola’s past work; however, it has since come to light that thesequotes were either made up or misappropriated.
Lionsgate has now taken the trailer offline and issued an apology.
What did Lionsgate say about the Megalopolis trailer?
“Lionsgate is immediately recalling our trailer for Megalopolis,” a spokesperson told Variety. “We offer our sincere apologies to the critics involved and to Francis Ford Coppola and American Zoetrope for this inexcusable error in our vetting process. We screwed up. We are sorry.”
Owen Gleiberman, who writes for Variety, was one of the critics who was incorrectly quoted in the trailer for Megalopolis.
“Even if you’re one of those people who don’t like critics, we hardly deserve to have words put in our mouths. Then again, the trivial scandal of all this is that the whole Megalopolis trailer is built on a false narrative,” Gleiberman said. “Critics loved The Godfather. And though Apocalypse Now was divisive, it received a lot of crucial critical support. As far as me calling Bram Stoker’s Dracula ‘a beautiful mess,’ I only wish I’d said that! Regarding that film, it now sounds kind.”
Another Roger Ebert quote featured in the trailer was attributed to the late critic’s reaction of Bram Stoker’s Dracula; however, it has since been revealed that the quote itself was not only not speaking about Coppola, but rather was about 1989’s Batman.
Pauline Kael’s quote, which allegedly called The Godfather a film “diminished by its artsiness,” also appears to be an entirely false quote, as she lavished the movie with praise.
