Look, Francis Ford Coppola’s Megalopolis It is facing more controversy.
Footage has emerged that supports reports that Francis “attempted to kiss several topless female extras” during the filming of a scene. Additional reports of erratic and unprofessional behavior on set have poured in, and much of the visual effects team was fired mid-shoot, with one source calling it “complete madness.”
And then there’s the fact that Shia LaBeouf was cast in the film in 2022, long after he was accused of sexual assault, battery, and infliction of emotional distress by FKA Twigs. His character has a sex scene in the film.
Early reviews for the film were mixed, and it currently holds a 53% on Rotten Tomatoes. A BBC reviewer said: “It’s outrageous enough to form a cult, but this pretentious, sinister curiosity will test everyone else’s patience. It’s like listening to someone tell you about a crazy dream they had last night. And they don’t stop for two hours.”
If that wasn’t enough, here’s the first official trailer: Megalopolis I had to withdraw. Why? Because it started with a series of negative quotes about Francis’ iconic film. For example: godfather “A sloppy, self-satisfied film.”
It’s obvious that these quotes are being included before even seeing the actor, which means there are negative reviews. Megalopolis Likewise, aging does not occur easily.
There’s just one problem: none of those quotes are real! As reported by Vulture and confirmed by Variety, the phrase is nowhere to be found in the review version available online. Variety’s Owen Gleiberman was misquoted Bram Stoker’s Dracula “It’s a beautiful mess,” he said. “Even if you hate criticism, we don’t deserve to hear it.”
The trailer has since been removed. “Lionsgate is immediately recalling the trailer. MegalopolisAccording to Variety , a spokesperson said, “We sincerely apologize to the critics involved, Francis Ford Coppola, and American Zoetrope for this inexcusable mistake during the screening process. We screwed up. We’re sorry.”
Some have speculated that the fake quotes were created using AI to extract negative quotes, but Lionsgate has not commented on whether this is true.
If anyone wants to fund my film about a millionaire with unchecked power, I’m here.
