Is all publicity good publicity?

The official teaser for Francis Ford Coppola’s science fiction film “Megalopolis” was released online on Wednesday. The two-and-a-half-minute video began with a series of harsh critiques of Coppola’s earlier films, like “The Godfather,” “Apocalypse Now,” and “Bram Stoker’s Dracula.”

“True genius is frequently misunderstood,” says the narrator in the trailer. “One filmmaker has always been ahead of his time.”

The trailer presented purportedly negative feedback from well-known critics such as Pauline Kael from The New Yorker, Andrew Sarris from The Village Voice, and Roger Ebert of the Chicago-Sun Times. One particular quote attributed to Kael suggested that “The Godfather,” which won an Oscar, is “diminished by its artsiness.”

However, social media users quickly pointed out that several of the quotes featured in the trailer were not from the original reviews. A spokesperson for Lionsgate told YSL News that the studio is “immediately retracting” the “Megalopolis” trailer.

“We sincerely apologize to the critics involved, to Francis Ford Coppola, and to American Zoetrope for this unacceptable mistake in our review process,” stated the spokesperson. “We messed up. We’re sorry.”

As of now, the trailer has been removed from Lionsgate’s official YouTube page.

Despite boasting a talented cast including Adam Driver, Aubrey Plaza, Shia LaBeouf, Jon Voight, and Dustin Hoffman, “Megalopolis” received a mixed reception at its Cannes Film Festival premiere in May. Some critics called the drama “staggeringly ambitious,” while others labeled it “absolute madness.”

‘Megalopolis’ trailer receives mixed feedback on social media

The “Megalopolis” trailer drew various responses on social media, with many users criticizing the use of fake quotes in the promotional material.

“Did they really just make up that Pauline Kael quote? I’m looking at her review, and it’s not there,” X user @Carzonfye commented. “Plus, she actually loved the movie lol.”

“All of the ‘mean’ critics’ quotes in the MEGALOPOLIS trailer appear to be fabricated, likely generated by a faulty ChatGPT response. Incredible,” tweeted New York Times columnist Kyle Buchanan.

“Why are they inventing quotes to provoke outrage in the Megalopolis trailer?” X user @SohamGadre asked. “Also, it seems like the movie’s marketing is aimed at ‘online critics’ since those are the only folks likely to actually watch it.”

Others appreciated the trailer’s cheeky tone.

“The audacity of Coppola to launch the new Megalopolis trailer like a diss track aimed at those branding him a failure is remarkable,” @parker_gibbons shared on X.

“Coppola turning the latest ‘Megalopolis’ trailer into a critique of his detractors proves that time hasn’t left him behind,” X user @craigcalcaterra remarked. “He’s fully engaged with contemporary issues.”

“This MEGALOPOLIS trailer is utterly tacky, vengeful, absurd (and) chaotic – and I’m here for it!” wrote @fuzzyyarns on X. “Hollywood marketing is usually so calculated and sterile.”

Megalopolis is scheduled to hit theaters on Sept. 27.

Contributions from: Taijuan Moorman, YSL News