Timeline of the controversy over Francis Coppola’s $120M ‘Megalopolis’ trailer

Lionsgate Films has recently removed the trailer for Francis Ford Coppola’s upcoming science-fiction drama, “Megalopolis,” due to the inclusion of fabricated quotes from critics. This controversy adds to the series of issues that have surrounded the film.

Scheduled for release in September, “Megalopolis” is set in a dystopian future where an architect named Caesar, played by Adam Driver, battles with the mayor of a fictional U.S. city, New Rome, over how to rebuild it after a disaster.

This project is particularly significant for Coppola, who has been attempting to bring it to life since 1983. The ambitious scale of the movie, featuring a technologically advanced city and a protagonist with the ability to control time, has made it challenging for the director to secure the substantial budget required. This reluctance is surprising given Coppola’s history of directing some of the best movies ever made, like “The Godfather” and “Apocalypse Now.” However, skepticism might arise from his recent projects, such as “Twixt” and “Tetro,” which failed to capture the box office’s attention, making studios cautious about backing his latest endeavor.

Due to these challenges, Coppola decided to self-finance the movie. In July 2021, he sold his vineyards in Sonoma County, California, to gather funds for the film. Although the exact amount from the sale was not disclosed, Robert Nicholson, an expert in West Coast wine assets, estimated the sale could have garnered between $500 million and $1 billion. Vanity Fair reported that Coppola utilized this money to make “Megalopolis” at a cost of $120 million.

In May 2024, the production faced allegations of Coppola being unprofessional and disorganized during filming. According to The Guardian, difficulties arose in November 2022 when filming began. Anonymous crewmembers claimed that Coppola would arrive without any plans for the day’s shooting because he refused to let his collaborators prepare one. As a result, production often stalled for hours while Coppola stayed in his trailer, and it was alleged that he smoked marijuana during these periods.

Further allegations stated that Coppola behaved inappropriately toward women on set. Reports claimed he attempted to kiss some of the topless and scantily clad female extras to “get them in the mood” for a nightclub scene.

In July 2024, additional controversy emerged when Variety published footage showing Coppola kissing an extra during the nightclub scene. A crew member alleged that Coppola made a statement to the set, saying, “Sorry, if I come up to you and kiss you. Just know it’s solely for my pleasure.” Darren Demetre, the executive producer, responded, explaining that Coppola’s actions were meant to help create the atmosphere for the club scene crucial to the film. He stated that he was unaware of any complaints regarding harassment during the project.

More recently, in August 2024, Lionsgate released a “Megalopolis” trailer featuring quotes intended to demonstrate that critics were often wrong about Coppola’s previous movies, highlighting how those films became iconic over time. However, Vulture quickly discovered that some of these quotes were fabricated. For instance, one quote was incorrectly attributed to Roger Ebert’s review of “Bram Stoker’s Dracula” but was actually from his review of the 1989 “Batman” film.

Following this revelation, Lionsgate retracted the trailer, although it remains available on YouTube. Lionsgate issued a statement apologizing for the error and expressing regret to the critics involved, Coppola, and American Zoetrope. They acknowledged the mistake in their vetting process and took responsibility for the oversight.

Both Lionsgate and Coppola’s representatives have not yet provided comments in response to queries from Business Insider.

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Source: Business Insider