Current:Home > My'Megalopolis' trailer sparks controversy with fabricated quotes from film critics -Mastery Money Tools
'Megalopolis' trailer sparks controversy with fabricated quotes from film critics
View
Date:2025-04-17 13:08:57
There's no such thing as bad publicity — or is there?
The official trailer for Francis Ford Coppola's sci-fi epic "Megalopolis" dropped online Wednesday. The two-and-a-half-minute clip opened with a series of scathing critiques of Coppola's past works, including "The Godfather," "Apocalypse Now" and "Bram Stoker's Dracula."
"True genius is often misunderstood," the trailer's narrator says. "One filmmaker has always been ahead of his time."
The critics' roundup featured allegedly damning reviews from Pauline Kael of The New Yorker, Andrew Sarris of The Village Voice and Roger Ebert of the Chicago-Sun Times, among others. In one clip, Kael is quoted saying "The Godfather," an Oscar-winning crime drama, is "diminished by its artsiness."
'I'm too shy':Francis Ford Coppola addresses inappropriate on-set accusations
Need a break? Play the USA TODAY Daily Crossword Puzzle.
However, social media users quickly noticed that many of the quotes in the trailer were not included in the original film reviews. In a statement to USA TODAY, a Lionsgate spokesperson said the movie studio is "immediately recalling" the "Megalopolis" trailer.
"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," the spokesperson said. "We screwed up. We are sorry."
As of publication, the trailer has been pulled from Lionsgate's official YouTube channel.
Despite its star-studded cast, which includes Adam Driver, Aubrey Plaza, Shia LaBeouf, Jon Voight and Dustin Hoffman, "Megalopolis" received mixed reviews during its May premiere at the Cannes Film Festival, with some calling the drama "staggeringly ambitious" and others dubbing the long-awaited movie "absolute madness."
'Megalopolis' trailer earns mixed reactions on social media
The "Megalopolis" trailer divided viewers on social media, many of whom scrutinized the use of fabricated quotes in the promotional clip.
"Did they just straight up fabricate that Pauline Kael quote? I’m reading her review, and I don’t see it," X user @Carzonfye wrote. "Also, she loved the movie lol."
"All the 'mean' critics' quotes in the MEGALOPOLIS trailer were made up and likely came from an erroneous ChatGPT answer. Incredible," New York Times columnist Kyle Buchanan wrote on X.
"Why are they making up quotes to get mad about in the Megalopolis trailer?" X user @SohamGadre wrote. "Also, it seems like the movie's marketing is very directed at 'online critics' (because) those are the only people who are going to actually go see it."
'Megalopolis' divides critics:Is Coppola's $120M sci-fi epic 'bafflingly shallow' or 'remarkably sincere'?
Others praised the trailer for its snarky tone.
"The BALLS on Coppola to open the new megalopolis trailer like a diss track about people calling him a failure," @parker_gibbons wrote on X.
"Coppola making the latest 'Megalopolis' trailer mostly about telling his haters to suck it is proof positive that time has not passed him by," X user @craigcalcaterra wrote. "He's thoroughly of this moment in history."
"This MEGALOPOLIS trailer is breathtakingly tacky, vindictive, bitter, ridiculous (and) unhinged and I like it!" @fuzzyyarns wrote on X. "Hollywood marketing is so calculated, clinical (and) antiseptic."
"Megalopolis" is expected to be released in theaters on Sept. 27.
Contributing: Taijuan Moorman, USA TODAY
veryGood! (9825)
Related
- Toyota to invest $922 million to build a new paint facility at its Kentucky complex
- Dr. Richard Moriarty, who helped create ‘Mr. Yuk’ poison warning for kids, dies at 83
- Country Singer Zach Bryan Apologizes After Being Arrested in Oklahoma
- Hurricane Lee is now a Category 4 storm. Here's what to know about the major hurricane.
- Bodycam footage shows high
- Sri Lanka’s ruling coalition defeats a no-confidence motion against the health minister
- Latest sighting of fugitive killer in Pennsylvania spurs closure of popular botanical garden
- Heat hits New England, leading to school closures, early dismissals
- Trump wants to turn the clock on daylight saving time
- Women credits co-worker for helping win $197,296 from Michigan Lottery Club Keno game
Ranking
- Trump issues order to ban transgender troops from serving openly in the military
- Immigrant girl on Chicago-bound bus from Texas died from infection, other factors, coroner says
- Judge orders Louisiana to remove incarcerated youths from the state’s maximum-security adult prison
- A magnitude 5 earthquake rattled a rural area of Northern California but no damage has been reported
- How to watch the 'Blue Bloods' Season 14 finale: Final episode premiere date, cast
- St. Louis photographer run over and municipal worker arrested after village threatens to tow cars
- Judge orders Louisiana to remove incarcerated youths from the state’s maximum-security adult prison
- Inside the renovated White House Situation Room: Cutting-edge tech, mahogany and that new car smell
Recommendation
Bodycam footage shows high
Mexico's Supreme Court rules in favor of decriminalizing abortion nationwide
Florida Supreme Court begins hearing abortion-ban case, could limit access in Southeast
Immigrant girl on Chicago-bound bus from Texas died from infection, other factors, coroner says
Kylie Jenner Shows Off Sweet Notes From Nieces Dream Kardashian & Chicago West
One Chip Challenge maker Paqui pulls product from store shelves after teen's death in Massachusetts
Horrified judge sends Indianapolis cop to prison for stomping defenseless man's face
Disney temporarily lowers price of Disney+ subscription to $1.99