Francis Ford Coppola slapped Variety with a $15 million lawsuit for libel over a story it published that claimed the famous director behaved inappropriately and unprofessionally on the set of his new movie “Megalopolis.”
Filed in Los Angeles Superior Court on Wednesday, the suit claims that Variety used anonymous sources that were “jealous” and telling “knowing and reckless falsehoods” about the “The Godfather” and “Apocalypse Now” director.
The July 26 story, penned by Brent Lang and Tatiana Siegel — who are also being sued — used anonymous reports and published videos from “Megalopolis” crew members.
Those videos appeared to show the 85-year-old legendary director trying to kiss young female extras on the set of his ambitious sci-fi epic during a nightclub scene in an Atlanta concert hall in February 2023.
The story claimed that because the Adam Driver-led “Megalopolis” was self-funded by Coppola, that “there were none of the traditional checks and balances in place.”
Coppola was left furious by Variety’s allegations.
“To see our collective efforts tainted by false, reckless and irresponsible reporting is devastating,” he said in a statement to TheWrap.
“No publication, especially a legacy industry outlet, should be enabled to use surreptitious video and unnamed sources in pursuit of their own financial gain.”
The director, whose 138-minute sci-fi flick will be released in US theaters in two weeks, claims that Variety either knowingly publicized falsehoods or showed reckless disregard for the truth.
“While we will not comment on active litigation, we stand by our reporters,” a spokesperson for Variety-parent PMC told The Post.
In the court papers, Coppola’s attorneys said that before filing the lawsuit, he “provided evidence to Variety that the above allegations were false and Coppola requested that the allegations be retracted. Variety refused and doubled down. It repeated the same allegations and thereby emphasized its malice toward Coppola. In order to clear his name and obtain a public determination of the falsity of Variety’s allegations, Coppola has brought this case.”
The alleged libel, the suit says, was “done intentionally or with a conscious disregard of Coppola’s rights and with an intent to vex, injure, or annoy him such as to constitute malice, fraud, or oppression thus entitling Coppola to exemplary and punitive damages in an amount to punish and make an example of Defendants and to deter such conduct in the future as will be proved at trial.”
Coppola’s attorneys told TheWrap that he denied the accusations made in the article at the time, and several people who have worked with him issued statements disputing the accusations.
One of the extras seen in the videos later came out on social media, disputing how they were being characterized.
“None of the claims about @francisfordcoppola are true; it was an honor to work with such a legend. This video was taken on a CLOSED set that prohibited cell phones specifically for the safety of the actors.,” Rayna Menz said in part in an Instagram Story, “I am disgusted by these allegations & hope everybody will see the truth for what it is.”
Coppola is seeking damages of at least $15 million.
