A scene from Megalopolis. Lionsgate apologizes for fabricated quotes in trailer.
Lionsgate pulled back its trailer for Francis Ford Coppola’s "Megalopolis" on Wednesday after it was revealed that quotes from critics were fabricated.
"We’re recalling our trailer for 'Megalopolis' immediately," a Lionsgate spokesperson told the media. "We sincerely apologize to the critics involved, to Francis Ford Coppola, and to American Zoetrope for this unacceptable mistake in our review process. We messed up. We're sorry."
The trailer, which was released earlier on Wednesday, featured quotes from critics like Pauline Kael and Roger Ebert, supposedly about Coppola's past films. However, these quotes never appeared in their actual reviews. The trailer seemed to aim at drawing parallels between the mixed reactions to now-iconic films like "The Godfather" and "Apocalypse Now" and the divided opinions on "Megalopolis," Coppola’s $120 million epic set to debut in September.
One of the quotes falsely attributed to Kael claimed that "The Godfather" was "diminished by its artsiness," but Kael actually praised the film, and this phrase never appeared in her 1972 review for The New Yorker. Similarly, Ebert never wrote that Coppola’s "Bram Stoker’s Dracula" was "a triumph of style over substance." Quotes attributed to Rex Reed and Vincent Canby about "Apocalypse Now" were also not present in their original reviews.
"Megalopolis" has been in the works for decades and faced mixed reviews when it premiered at the Cannes Film Festival earlier this year. The film has also been under scrutiny due to alleged misconduct on set, following leaked videos showing Coppola hugging and kissing extras during a club scene. Representatives have not responded to requests for comment regarding the videos.
The film is scheduled for its North American premiere at the Toronto International Film Festival next month before its theatrical release on September 27.
