Francis Ford Coppola’s latest project, ‘Megalopolis,’ is generating buzz once again with the release of a new trailer — this time, without any misleading quotes. The updated trailer follows a recent controversy where the initial teaser featured fabricated quotes from critics, purporting to criticize the legendary director’s past masterpieces like ‘Apocalypse Now’ and ‘The Godfather.’ This tactic, seemingly meant to frame the divisive reception of ‘Megalopolis’ as a bold move, backfired spectacularly when the quotes were revealed to be fake.
In response, Lionsgate swiftly pulled the misleading trailer and issued a public apology. A spokesperson for the studio told TheWrap, “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.”
Now, a new trailer has been released, starting with a voiceover from Laurence Fishburne, who also stars in the film, proclaiming, “One filmmaker has always been ahead of his time. Now, from visionary writer and director Francis Ford Coppola comes an event nothing can prepare you for.” The footage highlights Adam Driver’s character, who appears to have the ability to manipulate time, along with dramatic visuals of meteors falling to Earth and a metropolis that merges the aesthetics of contemporary New York and ancient Rome.
Megalopolis premieres in theaters on September 27th, watch the trailer below.
‘Megalopolis’ is a mix of Roman and modern American settings. It’s about a city called New Rome facing big changes. Cesar, played by Driver, wants a better future, while Mayor Franklyn Cicero, played by Giancarlo Esposito, wants things to stay the same. This creates a clash, with Nathalie Emmanuel’s character, Julia Cicero, caught in the middle, torn between love and beliefs about what’s right for society.
The ensemble cast includes Laurence Fishburne, Aubrey Plaza, Shia LaBeouf, Jon Voight, Talia Shire, Jason Schwartzman, Kathryn Hunter, Grace VanderWaal, Chloe Fineman, James Remar, D.B. Sweeney, and Dustin Hoffman.
“Megalopolis” delves into themes of societal change and philosophical ideals. It’s a passion project for Coppola, who self-financed a significant part of the film. Fred Roos, Barry Hirsch, and Michael Bederman serve as producers, with Anahid Nazarian, Barrie Osborne, and Darren Demetre as executive producers.
‘Megalopolis’ has been a hot topic since its debut at Cannes, where it attracted attention not only for its ambitious storyline but also for off-screen drama. The film’s production was marred by reports of a chaotic set, along with allegations against Coppola, which he has denied. Following the controversy over the fake critic quotes in the trailer, Lionsgate’s misstep added another layer to the film’s already complex narrative.
‘Megalopolis’ is set to hit theaters on September 27 and is already one of the most talked-about films of the season. Check out the new trailer above.