Trailer for Coppola‘s “Megalopolis” Removed Due to Fake Critic Quotes

On Wednesday morning, Lionsgate unveiled a trailer for Francis Ford Coppola’s latest film, “Megalopolis.” This science fiction drama, starring Adam Driver, has created quite a buzz following its premiere at the Cannes Film Festival on May 16, where it reportedly “polarized critics.” The much-anticipated film is set to reach U.S. theaters on September 27.

The trailer release quickly turned heads but for the wrong reasons. An attempt to riff on the mixed reception led to the inclusion of several fabricated quotes from famous film critics. The fraudulent quotes were aimed at highlighting Coppola’s cinematic legacy but instead caused a PR debacle. Just hours after it went online, the trailer was pulled down.

A Lionsgate spokesperson released a statement to Variety, addressing the mishap. “Lionsgate is immediately recalling our trailer for ‘Megalopolis.’ 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.”

The controversial trailer initially aimed to establish “Megalopolis” as a timeless work of art. It used fake quotes purportedly from critics who panned Coppola’s renowned films like “The Godfather” and “Apocalypse Now.” Quotes attributed to prominent critics, including Roger Ebert, couldn’t be found in their actual reviews, leading to questions of authenticity.

This isn’t the first time “Megalopolis” has been embroiled in controversy. In July, allegations surfaced against Coppola, accusing him of kissing female extras on set without their consent. The Guardian reported that a video from the set served as evidence during the summer.