MEGALOPOLIS: New Trailer Calls Out The Critics Who Hated Francis Ford Coppola's Previous Movies

MEGALOPOLIS: New Trailer Calls Out The Critics Who Hated Francis Ford Coppola's Previous Movies

Lionsgate has released a new trailer for Megalopolis and, as well as sharing high praise for filmmaker Francis Ford Coppola, it reminds us of the critics who once hated his past movies. Check it out...

By JoshWilding - Aug 21, 2024 10:08 AM EST
Filed Under: Sci-Fi
Source: SFFGazette.com

UPDATE: The trailer has been pulled because the quotes used were fabricated. In a statement, Lionsgate 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."


Early screenings of Megalopolis drew largely mixed-to-negative reviews from critics (it sits at a disappointing 53% on Rotten Tomatoes) and it appears Lionsgate has decided to lean into that. How? Well, by reminding moviegoers how Francis Ford Coppola's previous movies were received upon release.

The first 45 seconds of this new trailer focuses heavily on the negative reviews for The Godfather, Apocalypse Now, and Bram Stoker's Dracula, three movies now widely considered classics. 

Laurence Fishburne narrates the preview, praising Coppola as a visionary filmmaker who is years ahead of his time; in case it wasn't obvious, the message the studio is trying to convey is that Megalopolis is also destined to be remembered as a masterpiece...one day. Right now, though, critics simply don't get it. 

That opening is followed by plenty of gorgeous new shots from the movie and a reminder of exactly how star-studded the 85-year-old Coppola's latest epic is.

You can check out the intriguing new trailer for Megalopolis in the players below (via SFFGazette.com).

"It’s kind of undefinable, which feels very general until you watch the movie," Star Wars actor Adam Driver previously said of Megalopolis. "Then my answer will be perfect. There’s not a lot of precedent for it and it’s wild on a big scale, which is what’s really unique about it."

"He’s a visionary. He’s very much Francis [Ford Coppola], in a way, where he’s investigated every way of how people can do something and is trying not to get stuck on the right answer," he added. "That’s an idea that’s moving to me – and one that reflects Francis."

Megalopolis is a Roman Epic fable set in an imagined Modern America. The City of New Rome must change, causing conflict between Cesar Catilina, a genius artist who seeks to leap into a utopian, idealistic future, and his opposition, Mayor Franklyn Cicero, who remains committed to a regressive status quo, perpetuating greed, special interests, and partisan warfare.

Torn between them is socialite Julia Cicero, the mayor's daughter, whose love for Cesar has divided her loyalties, forcing her to discover what she truly believes humanity deserves.

The movie stars Adam Driver, Nathalie Emmanuel, Giancarlo Esposito, Aubrey Plaza, Shia Labeouf, Jon Voight, Laurence Fishburne, Jason Schwartzman, Talia Shire, Grace Vanderwaal, Kathryn Hunter, and Dustin Hoffman.

Written and directed by Francis Ford Coppola, Megalopolis arrives in theaters on September 27.

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DrReedRichards
DrReedRichards - 8/21/2024, 10:25 AM
God damn...

I thought the title of the article was exaggerating, but holy shit, FFC really did go all in on the self-proclaimed genius and all around pretentiousness with this one!

Godfather is still among the most overrated stories ever by the way, praised only by dads who don't know any other films (or books) and mob-bosses wannabes of reddit, and Apocalypse Now only got its praise for the footage of real-life megalomaniac Brando going on pseudo-philosophical tangeants and real-life AA Martin Sheen breaking down on camera; aka both of them not acting.
DrReedRichards
DrReedRichards - 8/21/2024, 10:27 AM
'k, after watchig it, looks like a Jodorowsky project but with Cameron's budget.
McMurdo
McMurdo - 8/21/2024, 11:21 AM
@DrReedRichards - the whole behind the scenes story of the 90 year old director slapping ass and kissing girls without consent is so crazy dude.
DrReedRichards
DrReedRichards - 8/21/2024, 11:25 AM
@McMurdo -

It's a sad remnant of a thankfully bygone era, when producers with directors and their chosen main cast executives had to be worshipped by the rest of the cast and crew.

No wonder certain cycles felt confident enough to film and release Babylon last year, a not-so-satyrical celebration of said hedonistic gatherings. Needless to say, as much of a fan I am of Chazelle, I'm glad this one failed so f#ckin' hard.
McMurdo
McMurdo - 8/21/2024, 11:38 AM
@DrReedRichards - it looks really bad
Patient2670
Patient2670 - 8/21/2024, 11:52 AM
@DrReedRichards - With a screenplay by Ayn Rand
BeyondtheFuture
BeyondtheFuture - 8/21/2024, 12:52 PM
@DrReedRichards -

What are your top 10 movies?
DrReedRichards
DrReedRichards - 8/21/2024, 1:32 PM
@BeyondtheFuture -

Hard to say. I'm already having a hard enough time defining my top 10 CBMs, let alone movies in general.

I do love Cloud Atlas though as my one above all, but that's also for subjective reasons.
FrankenDad
FrankenDad - 8/21/2024, 2:17 PM
@Patient2670 - ewwwww
BeyondtheFuture
BeyondtheFuture - 8/21/2024, 2:27 PM
@DrReedRichards - oh fair enough. I was just curious because that was an interesting opinion. I quite like Cloud Atlas, I thought it was rather ambitious.
Lucasberg
Lucasberg - 8/22/2024, 12:07 AM
@DrReedRichards - I just had to respond to some of your claims which are completely made up. Godfather is praised only by dads who don’t know movies or books. Film is basically on every greatest film list out there and near the top. Same with Apocalypse Now. These are not dad lists. They are lists produced by both film critics and artist communities en masse.

Some of Coppola’s later films do suck but your claims about those two films being overrated by ignorant or “dads” (whatever that means) is one of the silliest things I’ve ever read. It’s amazing that you posted that comment so matter of fact and I just needed to let you know :)
Lucasberg
Lucasberg - 8/22/2024, 12:48 AM
@DrReedRichards - You can stand alone and declare that all the film lists and film critics and artists across 50 years are wrong. You can make your case as to why you think the movie is unworthy of praise. What you can’t do, is pretend that the movie is only praised by dads and people who haven’t read books or seen other movies. The crowds that have praised it most, are crowds that assuredly have seen more films and have read more books than almost all the people.

Man, I just can’t believe your statement! LOL
DrReedRichards
DrReedRichards - 8/22/2024, 2:30 AM
@Lucasberg -

The Godfather stories, all three of them, while competently made as films are still at their basis an idolization of lawlessness and self-appointed leadership under the guise of family as a value.

At best, they're contradictory tales that are elevated by excellent music and great performances. At worst, they're hypocritical to their core.

Make that what you will.
Lucasberg
Lucasberg - 8/22/2024, 9:04 AM
@DrReedRichards - fair enough. I was just pointing out that it is not just dads or ignorant people that praise those movies. It is in fact the most well read and schooled in film who praise them… along with most everyone else.
DrReedRichards
DrReedRichards - 8/22/2024, 9:33 AM
@Lucasberg -

Read again what I said. I called it an overrated story, not a badly filmed movie. And yes, as someone who abhors the idolization of boss characters, be it law makers or law breakers, I do insist that it is incredibly overrated in that regard.

TLDR, old guys (=dads) who idolize Corleone don't have the right to complain when younger idiots idolize Rick Sanchez or Walter White.
Lucasberg
Lucasberg - 8/22/2024, 11:41 AM
@DrReedRichards - as a counter to your point: Movies often zero in on flawed/immoral characters not to celebrate them, but to study. With The Godfather I never received that movie as anything other than portraying a tragic perversion of family and power, not an idolization of it. The Corleone men say they do what they do for their family, but in the end, what they do is what destroys their family. It's ironic and tragic - and one that acts as a parable of the wrong kind of moral values.

I humbly suggest a rewatch! You make it to the end and its clear, that the movie is not a love letter about the main characters. It's a lamentation about them.
DrReedRichards
DrReedRichards - 8/22/2024, 11:51 AM
@Lucasberg -

A slow-motion shoot-out in such camera angles implies a noble ending, not deserved punishment. Plus, the audience's perception of the Corleone family, especially Vito and Michael, speaks for itself as to whether those characters were meant to be portrayed as role models or cautionary tales.
Lucasberg
Lucasberg - 8/22/2024, 12:04 PM
@DrReedRichards - Now I'm wondering if you've actually seen the movie. The movie ends with a rift between him and his wife, and the door shutting her away from her husband. Its plain what is meant in the final moments of the movie. Its not glorified mafia. Its the loss of family.
DrReedRichards
DrReedRichards - 8/22/2024, 12:23 PM
@Lucasberg -

That's the 2nd movie. The 1st one ends with Vito dying in his garden. Or was this a prior scene?

Either way, it's not a karmic finale for the character. The only one that included cathartic elements was the 3rd one, and the less said about it the better.
Lucasberg
Lucasberg - 8/22/2024, 12:29 PM
@DrReedRichards - the scene of vito dying as much earlier in the first one. A whole lot takes place after that, yes.
mountainman
mountainman - 8/21/2024, 10:42 AM
Speaking of Aubrey Plaza, for the life of me I can’t see why she was praised for White Lotus. She was pretty annoying in it to be honest.

Not nearly as bad as Jennifer Coolidge, who’s been playing the drunk middle aged Stiffler’s mom in everything for 30
years. I can’t for the life of me understand how anyone finds her to be a compelling actor.
Clintthahamster
Clintthahamster - 8/21/2024, 11:53 AM
@mountainman - Some actors are praised for being able to do lots of different things, others are praised at being very good at one thing. Coolidge falls in the latter camp. But, honestly, I agree that the schtick is wearing a little thin. Which is a shame, because she's shown real range before (well, in Bad Lieutenant: Port of Call New Orleans, but she was very good in that.)
mountainman
mountainman - 8/21/2024, 11:56 AM
@clintthahamster - I get that. And it’s possible that I just don’t relate to the character she always tends to play.

I tend to not care about awards shows, but really thought Rhea Seahorn had that actress nod locked. Or as an alternative the actress from the Crown did a better job than Coolidge IMO.

White Lotus is an enjoyable enough show (although vastly overrated), but Coolidge was the least interesting character in both seasons and how her story arc ended in the second season was just laughable. It almost seemed like they were setting it up for this big payoff but didn’t know how to write it to conclusion. Not her fault but I just don’t see why she is praised so much for it.
Clintthahamster
Clintthahamster - 8/21/2024, 12:00 PM
@mountainman - No argument that Rhea Seehorn deserved all the awards. What a powerhouse performance. Can't wait to see what she and Vince Gilligan are cooking up next.
mountainman
mountainman - 8/21/2024, 12:07 PM
@clintthahamster - Agreed. I have never seen her in anything besides Better Call Saul, but she owned that show. Obviously Odenkirk was great too and tons of great performances from other cast members, specifically Patrick Fabian, Tony Dalton and Michael Mando. But Rhea was the center of BCS.

Either way I know popularity and “politics” play a part in award shows. This is nothing new and there is no use crying about someone being “robbed”.
Clintthahamster
Clintthahamster - 8/21/2024, 12:12 PM
@mountainman - Awards shows have been dead to me for 30 years, since Forest Gump beat out Shawshank Redemption and Pulp Fiction–hell, even Four Weddings and a Funeral–for best picture. It's all subjective, just telling the story they want to tell that year.
mountainman
mountainman - 8/21/2024, 12:29 PM
@clintthahamster - Forrest Gump is such a funny movie. I remember it being a big deal back then but it’s really not a great movie from a writing or character perspective. This guy just happened upon all these big events, he really doesn’t grow as a character much at all, and Jenny is really terrible but rewarded for her terrible actions.

Every one of the movies you mentioned (especially Shawshank) are far better films.

And the Bubba Gumps restaurant chain is just atrocious.
MisterBones
MisterBones - 8/21/2024, 10:43 AM
Megalomaniac
WhatIfRickJames
WhatIfRickJames - 8/21/2024, 10:44 AM
Looks like a terrible salad
Thing94
Thing94 - 8/21/2024, 10:50 AM
Meglocrapolis
foreverintheway
foreverintheway - 8/21/2024, 10:54 AM
Looks wacky and self-indulgent as hell - definitely excited for this!
CasualFanatic
CasualFanatic - 8/21/2024, 10:56 AM
It’s a bold strategy, Cotton. Let’s see if it pays off for ‘em.
MaxPaint
MaxPaint - 8/21/2024, 11:25 AM
@CasualFanatic - It feels childish and unprofessional, Coppola is too old for this pathetic, vindictive act.
IAmAHoot
IAmAHoot - 8/21/2024, 10:58 AM
It won't change peoples' opinions on the movie, but it does make this trailer/movie intriguing, and therefore building interest and curiousity (which doesn't necessarily mean people will go see it).
harryba11zack
harryba11zack - 8/21/2024, 11:06 AM
im gonna give it a shot solely because marvel's fan favourite side winder is in the film.

this guy
User Comment Image
EgoEgor
EgoEgor - 8/21/2024, 11:08 AM
" arrives in theaters on September 27."... wait, what? I thought this movie came and went.
Apophis71
Apophis71 - 8/21/2024, 11:36 AM
@EgoEgor - That is due to it being entered to compete in the Cannes film festival back in May, so HAS already been screened, just not had wide release yet for the GA, only watched by a select group of rich cinephiles, folk of note from the industry at the event and establishment critics.
S8R8M
S8R8M - 8/21/2024, 11:14 AM
I gotta give him credit for having a dig.
LSHF
LSHF - 8/21/2024, 11:18 AM
F their critics. I don't take their reviews (opinions) any more seriously than non-critics' "critiques" (which I don't take seriously).

Clintthahamster
Clintthahamster - 8/21/2024, 11:55 AM
The Emperor's New Clothes gambit. Funny that they focus on three objectively great films (well, two plus Dracula) and ignore the okay-to-bad movies he's put out in the last 30 years.
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