Laurence Fishburne had politics on his mind when he heard the furore over the latest trailer for director Francis Ford Coppola's star-studded film. Megalopolis.
The Oscar-nominated actor spoke with The Hollywood Reporter ahead of the August 30 launch of his new sci-fi thriller Slingin which he stars alongside Casey Affleck. The in-demand Fishburne also appears with Adam Driver, Giancarlo Esposito and Nathalie Emmanuel in the upcoming Megalopoliswhich was the subject of controversy last week, when Lionsgate pulled the film's trailer after discovering that the promo contained fabricated quotes from well-known film critics about Coppola's other projects.
Fishburne, who narrates the Megalopolis trailer, explains that he was overseas when the tragedy occurred. In reality, he was watching footage of the Democratic National Convention when he was informed of the situation.
“I'm here in London and someone mentioned it to me, but I was busy watching the DNC,” the star says. DAY with a laugh. “I was like, 'I have to focus on this. I don't care what it is.' So I don't know exactly what it is.”
Fishburne agrees with anyone who had trouble figuring out what exactly happened in the controversial trailer: “Yeah, it’s weird.”
Adam Driver and Nathalie Emmanuel in a scene from Megalopolis.
Courtesy of Lionsgate
Among the fictional excerpts in the trailer that do not appear in published reviews is Andrew Sarris' The voice of the village piece cited as call The Godfather a “sloppy, self-indulgent film,” and Pauline Kael New Yorker review that supposedly claimed the film was “detracted from its artistry.” Liongate has since reportedly parted ways with marketing consultant Eddie Egan, who worked on the trailer.
A long-standing project for Coppola, it cost approximately $120 million to make, Megalopolis was the subject of debate and was met with a polarizing response from audiences when it premiered at the Cannes Film Festival earlier this year. The intent of the recent trailer was likely to encourage viewers to question any negative aspects Megalopolis reactions claiming that critics had been wrong in the past about the director's films, which were later acclaimed as masterpieces.
With regard to Megalopolis himself, Fishburne says he was happy to collaborate again with Oscar-winner Coppola after appearing in the director's 1979 classic Apocalypse now. Megalopolis will hit theaters on September 27 and will see Driver as an architect with the noble goal of rebuilding New York City from the brink of ruin.
“I’m so grateful to have been able to help Francis, to have been there for him and to have worked with him, Adam Driver, Giancarlo Esposito, Aubrey Plaza, Jon Voight, Dustin Hoffman, Shia LaBeouf, all these amazing, amazing actors,” Fishburne says of his fellow co-stars. “I loved the movie.”
He continues, “Francis poured his heart out and gave us yet another masterpiece. I'm so proud to be a part of it.”