Following its recent debacle involving fabricated trailer quotes, Lionsgate‘s Francis Ford Coppola epic Megalopolis has cut ties with marketing consultant Eddie Egan, sources have confirmed to Deadline.
But we hear that the quotes featured in yesterday’s trailer, revealed by Vulture to be fake, were found to have been generated by AI following an investigation.
The materials fell under the purview of Egan, who prior to his work as an independent consultant, held executive posts at STXfilm and assorted major studios.
In the immediate aftermath of the trailer snafu, some questioned whether the fake quotes were part of a a marketing ploy purposefully designed to keep the film in the headlines.
Rather, the situation should be looked at as a cautionary tale, as neither Egan nor Lionsgate was out to intentionally fabricate quotes.
While it’s not clear who exactly gathered the AI quotes that wound up in the trailer, other critics cited included Roger Ebert, Vincent Canby, John Simon, Stanley Kauffmann, and Rex Reed.
When word began to spread that the quotes featured in the trailer were fabricated, Lionsgate made the unorthodox move of taking the trailer down from the web and issuing an apology.
“Lionsgate is immediately recalling our trailer for Megalopolis,” said a spokesperson for the studio.
The Francis Ford Coppola epic Megalopolis from Lionsgate has severed its relationship with marketing consultant Eddie Egan in the wake of the recent scandal involving fake trailer quotes, sources told Deadline.
Lionsgate refrained from commenting. However, we’ve been informed that, after further investigation, the quotes from yesterday’s teaser—which Vulture later exposed as being phony—were actually produced by artificial intelligence. Egan, who held executive positions at STXfilm and several major studios before beginning his career as an independent consultant, was in charge of the materials.
Following the trailer controversy, some speculated as to whether the fictitious quotes were a part of a marketing stunt meant to keep the movie in the news on purpose. We’re informed, however, that this is not at all feasible. Instead, considering that neither Egan nor Lionsgate set out to purposefully fabricate quotes, the situation should be viewed as a warning. Just in the process of reviewing marketing materials, errors were committed.
It’s unclear at this point whether Egan will continue to work with Lionsgate in the future if his involvement with the Megalopolis campaign is over.
Early on Wednesday morning, Lionsgate unveiled the second trailer for Megalopolis, which included numerous previous “criticisms” of Coppola’s now-iconic works by renowned critics like Andrew Sarris of Village Voice and Pauline Kael of The New Yorker. For instance, Sarris described The Godfather as a “sloppy self-indulgent movie,” while Kael described the movie as “diminished by its artsiness.”. “.
Megalopolis, like many of the director’s films, was divisive from the moment of its initial pre-Cannes screening, but the argument was that it would become another Coppola classic and stand the test of time. Other critics cited in the trailer included Roger Ebert, Vincent Canby, John Simon, Stanley Kauffmann, and Rex Reed; however, it’s unclear exactly who gathered the AI quotes that ended up in the film.
After rumors circulated that the quotes in the trailer were fake, Lionsgate took the unusual step of removing the trailer from the internet and apologizing. A Lionsgate representative stated, “Lionsgate is immediately recalling our Megalopolis trailer.”. “For this unacceptable mistake in our screening procedure, we sincerely apologize to Francis Ford Coppola and American Zoetrope as well as the critics who were impacted by it. Our mistake was made. We express our regret. “.
Megalopolis has faced a number of controversies while traveling to theaters, including the trailer controversy. Variety released a report last month about Coppola’s alleged lack of professionalism along with a video that seemed to show the director kissing extras on set. A woman who was in the video, Rayna Menz, came forward a week later to refute the story told by our sister trade.
Actor Adam Driver, actress Giancarlo Esposito, and actress Nathalie Emmanuel are among the cast members of Megalopolis, a Roman epic set in a futuristic America that Coppola self-financed on a budget exceeding $100 million. The movie, which opens in the United States, is Coppola’s first feature since Twixt (2011). s. theaters on September 27.
