'Megalopolis' Trailer Removed, Lionsgate Apologizes Over Incorrect Quotes From Critics

Lionsgate is speaking out after removing the trailer for the forthcoming movie Megalopolis.

A trailer for the movie, from director Francis Ford Coppola and starring the likes of Adam Driver, premiered on Wednesday (August 21). It opened by calling out critics who have previously reviewed Francis‘ movies.

However, some of the quotes appear to be fabricated, and others were incorrectly attributed.

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The studio shared a statement with Variety about the decision to remove the trailer from the internet.

“Lionsgate is immediately recalling our trailer for Megalopolis,” they said. “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 trailer opened by revisiting some negative reviews of Francis‘ movies, with the note: “True genius is often misunderstood.”

Owen Gleiberman, who works for Variety, commented on being incorrectly quoted in the trailer.

“Even if you’re one of those people who don’t like critics, we hardly deserve to have words put in our mouths. Then again, the trivial scandal of all this is that the whole Megalopolis trailer is built on a false narrative,” he said. “Critics loved The Godfather. And though Apocalypse Now was divisive, it received a lot of crucial critical support. As far as me calling Bram Stoker’s Dracula ‘a beautiful mess,’ I only wish I’d said that! Regarding that film, it now sounds kind.”

The film will premiere on September 27 and also features the likes of Aubrey Plaza, Shia LaBeouf, Jon Voight, Laurence Fishburne, Kathryn Hunter and Dustin Hoffman.