The Phallic Critic Quotes from the “Megalopolis” Trailer, Lionsgate Fires Marketing Consultant Who Was AI-Generated and Caused Mishap. When it became apparent that the critics’ disparaging remarks about Francis Ford Coppola’s earlier work were fabricated and did not truly appear in their reviews, the studio decided to remove the trailer on Wednesday.
According to sources who spoke with Variety, the mistake was not in Lionsgate or Egan’s plan to fake statements, but rather in the inadequate screening and verification of facts of the consultant’s phrasing.
The trailer’s goal was to show that, like “Megalopolis,” Coppola’s highly regarded work has drawn criticism. It seems that the fake quotes from the critics were produced using artificial intelligence. For example, the trailer stated that Pauline Kael’s criticism of “The Godfather” in the New Yorker was “diminished by its artsiness.” In actuality, Kael adored the film.
The quotations from renowned critics that Variety asked ChatGPT, an AI service, to deliver critical feedback on Coppola’s work were remarkably similar to those in the teaser. For over two decades, Egan has maintained a tight working relationship with Adam Fogelson, the chair of Lionsgate’s film firm. The two collaborated at Universal before moving on to STX.
Prior to taking over as head of the STX film firm in 2013, Fogelson served as chairman of Universal Pictures. Exactly two years ago, Fogelson was appointed vice chair of the Lionsgate film group; in January, he was promoted to chairman.
Egan left STX in 2019 and has since worked as a freelance consultant. “Lionsgate is immediately recalling our trailer for ‘Megalopolis,’” the company stated on Wednesday. “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.”