• Friday, February 14, 2025

Entertainment

Coppola film trailer axed for using fake movie reviews

The trailer of Megalopolis sought to draw comparisons between Coppola’s latest work and his earlier. However, the quotes attributed to famous critics were found to be fabricated

A file photo of Francis Ford Coppola at the 77th annual Cannes Film Festival on May 25, 2024 in Cannes, France. (Photo by Pascal Le Segretain/Getty Images)

By: India Weekly

A TRAILER promoting Francis Ford Coppola’s upcoming film “Megalopolis” has been withdrawn after it was discovered to contain fake movie reviews, reportedly generated by artificial intelligence.

The trailer, released this week, sought to draw comparisons between Coppola’s latest work and his earlier, initially controversial films that later became classics. However, the quotes used in the trailer, attributed to famous critics, were found to be fabricated.

In one instance, a criticism was allegedly taken from a review of a completely different film. Lionsgate, the studio behind the film, quickly recalled the trailer and issued an apology.

“We screwed up. We are sorry,” said the studio’s statement. The marketing consultant responsible for the trailer has since parted ways with Lionsgate, according to a report from Variety.

The incident comes at a time of heightened concern in Hollywood over the impact of AI, particularly in the context of job security in the entertainment industry.

The use of AI in this trailer has added another layer of controversy to “Megalopolis,” a film that has already divided critics following its world premiere at Cannes.

The movie, which stars Adam Driver, Aubrey Plaza, and Giancarlo Esposito, is set to premiere in North America at the Toronto Film Festival next month before its release in US theatres on September 27.

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