Summary

• Megalopolis' marketing strategy backfires with fake review quotes, facing uphill battle to live up to Coppola's classics.
• Controversies surround Megalopolis before worldwide release, with negative critical reception and fake review quotes.
• Trailer compares Megalopolis to Coppola's iconic films, but early reviews suggest it may not match the high standards set.

Francis Ford Coppola's other movies in its new trailer, but it already seems significantly different from them. After over four decades of stalling and delays, Francis Ford Coppola's Megalopolis is finally seeing the light of day. However, even before its worldwide release, the film has already been surrounded by controversies and drama. The controversies first began when behind-the-scenes reports of the film suggested its production had descended into chaos.

The drama continued when, as per reports, major production companies refused to buy the distribution rights for the film because it seemed too risky and unconventional. Close to a month before its premiere, Megalopolis has found itself wrapped in another controversy after its new trailer's release, which compared it to Francis Ford Coppola's other films' initial critical reception. While this strategy could have effectively marketed the film, it seems to have caused more harm than good.

Megalopolis' Trailer Compares Its Critical Reception To The Godfather, Apocalypse Now, & Bram Stoker's Dracula

The Trailer Tries To Establish The Film's Reception Will Get Better With Time

Megalopolis' new trailer adopts a unique marketing strategy, comparing the film's early reception with that of Coppola's most beloved films, including The Godfather, Apocalypse Now, and Bram Stoker's Dracula. The trailer walks through all the reviews that initially criticized all three films before they attained classic status.

Through this approach, Megalopolis seemingly attempts to establish that Coppola's work is often initially misunderstood and that its true value is only revealed over time. To some extent, this is true since Apocalypse Now garnered mixed reviews when it first premiered in 1979 but now boasts an impressive Rotten Tomatoes score of 97%. However, the fact that the trailer is now being accused of using fake negative review quotes about Coppola's classics' early reactions makes it hard not to wonder whether this strategy will work.

Megalopolis Already Has Way More Negative Reviews Than Francis Ford Coppola's Previous Movies

The Marketing Strategy In The Trailer Seems Flawed

In its opening moments, the trailer features a voice-over from Laurence Fishburne, who quotes, "True genius is often misunderstood." While Megalopolis may be ahead of its time like some other Francis Ford Coppola movies and even reflect the auteur's brilliance as a filmmaker, it seems to have way too many negative reviews on Rotten Tomatoes. Of the 63 critics who have reviewed the film after its early screening, more than 30 have given it negative reviews. This alone suggests that Megalopolis is nothing like the director's previous works.

While The Godfather, Apocalypse Now, and Bram Stoker's Dracula have also garnered negative reception from some critics, their reviews have always been far less polarizing than Megalopolis'. Unlike other Coppola classics, Megalopolis seems to be facing a significant uphill battle in overcoming its initial reception. Understandably, the trailer is trying to reverse the hefty damage caused by the early negative reviews by fostering a sense of optimism in audiences. However, the comparisons to other Coppola films almost mean nothing if the film does not back up the promise of matching the high standards set by The Godfather and Apocalypse Now.

Megalopolis' Rotten Tomatoes Score Reflects A Wider Range Of Critical Opinions

Its Rotten Tomatoes Score Already Gives A Well-Rounded View Of What Critics Think

Coppola's Bram Stoker's Dracula only has 70 critical reviews on Rotten Tomatoes, while Apocalypse Now has 98. Given how Megalopolis already has almost the same number of reviews as the two films a month before its theatrical release, it will likely have more reviews than both once it premieres. The fact that 68 critics have already reviewed it suggests its final Rotten Tomatoes score will likely not be different from what it is right now. Owing to this, one can only hope Megalopolis will turn out to be as brilliant as other Francis Ford Coppola movies it compares itself with.