Francis Ford Coppola’s ‘Megalopolis’ Trailer Pulled Over Fabricated Critics’ Quotes

Lionsgate has called out its new trailer for the movie ” huge city Wednesday, amid revelations that critics’ statements were fabricated.

“Lionsgate is immediately withdrawing our trailer for Megalopolis,” a Lionsgate spokesperson said in a statement to The Associated Press. “We sincerely apologize to the critics involved, director Francis Ford Coppola, and American Zoetrope for this inexcusable error in the screening process. We made a mistake. We are sorry.”

The trailer, released earlier Wednesday, included quotes from critics like Pauline Kael and Roger Ebert about other Coppola films that didn’t appear in their reviews. The goal seemed to be to highlight the critical divide over classics like “The Godfather” and “Apocalypse Now,” while also touching on some of the more negative reactions to “Megalopolis,” the self-financed, $120 million epic that came out in September.

The film’s trailer quoted Kael as saying that The Godfather was “weakened by its artistry.” But Kael loved The Godfather, and did not use the phrase in her March 1972 review of the film in The New Yorker. Ebert did not write that Coppola’s Bram Stoker’s Dracula was “a triumph of style over substance.” Nor did their reviews feature quotes from Rex Reed and Vincent Canby about Apocalypse Now.

“Megalopolis” was decades in the making, and received mixed reviews when it premiered at the Cannes Film Festival earlier this year. The film has also recently come under scrutiny over allegations of on-set misconduct, after videos of Coppola hugging and kissing extras during a scene at a club were leaked. Representatives for the film did not respond to requests for comment from The Associated Press about the videos.

The film is scheduled to have its North American premiere at the Toronto International Film Festival next month before It will be shown in cinemas on September 27th..