Why is Megalopolis controversial?

Megalopolis is coming to cinemas, but the film has had a long and arduous road to the big screen as the production has been marred by controversy in the months leading up to the movie's release.

The film, directed by Francis Ford Coppola, is set in a dystopian future where architect Caesar Catalina (Adam Driver) is intent on building a new utopia in New York City called New Rome. The character's dream is challenged by Mayor Franklyn Cicero (Giancarlo Esposito), a man committed to the status quo that puts greed above all else, and they are put on a collision course when Caesar meets the mayor's daughter Julia (Nathalie Emmanuel).

40 years in the making, Megalopolis had its world premiere at the Cannes Film Festival in May which is where its troubles began. Here is everything that you need to know.

Why is Megalopolis controversial?

Megalopolis bombs with critics

When it premiered at Cannes Megalopolis was met with boos and cheers from the audience, and things didn't get better when the reviews came out for the film shortly thereafter.

Critics shared scathing thoughts on the production, saying the film was a "mess" that is "frequently baffling" and is "frustrating and paradoxical". The Hollywood Reporter's David Rooney remarked that the film could be seen as "a distancing work of hubris, a gigantic folly, or a bold experiment, an imaginative bid to capture our chaotic contemporary reality".

Read more: A history of Francis Ford Coppola's crazy, troubled movie productions

While bad reviews aren't what a filmmaker might hope for when they release their 40-years-in-the-making movie, it wasn't the worst controversy to hit Megalopolis.

Francis Ford Coppola is accused of inappropriate behaviour on set

In May, the director was accused of engaging in inappropriate behaviour on set, with a report from The Guardian alleging Coppola was "pulling women to sit on his lap" and was "trying to kiss some of the topless and scantily-clad female extras."

Coppola denied the allegations, saying in an interview with The New York Times that he is "not touchy-feely" because he is "too shy". He told the publication: "My mother told me that if you make an advance toward a woman, it means you disrespect her, and the girls I had crushes on, I certainly didn’t disrespect them."

Read more: ‘Has this guy ever made a movie before?’ Francis Ford Coppola’s 40-year battle to film Megalopolis (The Guardian, 14-min read)

Darren Demetre, the film's executive producer, said in a statement: "There were two days when we shot a celebratory Studio 54-esque club scene where Francis walked around the set to establish the spirit of the scene by giving kind hugs and kisses on the cheek to the cast and background players.

"It was his way to help inspire and establish the club atmosphere, which was so important to the film. I was never aware of any complaints of harassment or ill behavior during the course of the project."

Video footage reportedly showing Coppola kissing an extra on set later emerged in a report from Variety, with a source claiming that after several takes the director said: "Sorry, if I come up to you and kiss you. Just know it’s solely for my pleasure."

Rayna Menz, an extra who appears in the video, denied the director was inappropriate on set in an interview with Deadline, saying: "He did nothing to make me or for that matter anyone on set feel uncomfortable. I felt disgusted, I was blindsided by it because it was a closed set. That someone had video of that is just ridiculous and super unprofessional.

"It’s gross because he only ever spoke about how wonderful his wife is. His wife was on set with us, most days. It feels gross, seeing that video and they way they were trying to convey a message. Just gross."

After Menz' statement, another woman came forward, Lauren Pagone, who spoke out to Variety and said: "I was in shock. I didn’t expect him to kiss and hug me like that. I was caught off guard. And I can tell you he came around a couple times."

Coppola is now suing Variety for libel over alleged “false and defamatory statements” in the aforementioned article and video, he is seeking $15million and further damages.

In an interview with The Telegraph ahead of the film's release, Coppola said of the film's recent controversies: "You know, I always felt like a ­creation of Hollywood. I went there in pursuit of all these beautiful things they were making. I was in awe of the place. I got to work for Roger Corman; I got to meet Vincent Price. Now, Hollywood doesn’t want me any more.

"They’re the parents that disown the unruly child – they created me, now they don’t want me. I understand it, but it still hurts my feelings. I accept it, but I also can’t."

Megalopolis' promotional campaign takes a hit

The movie continued to court controversy when the film's first trailer was released, as it included fake quotes pertaining to be from reviews of Coppola's other films.

The trailer used quotes to suggest that Megalopolis' bad reviews were a sign that it was a misunderstood masterpiece much like his films The Godfather and Apocalypse Now. However it soon emerged that the quotes criticising those movies were actually from other reviews, one review claiming to be about Bram Stoker's Dracula was actually about Tim Burton's Batman.

After the trailer was slammed for including fake quotes, Lionsgate recalled the trailer and issued an apology that said: "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."

Francis Ford Copolla casts 'cancelled' actors

Coppola has also spoken out about casting so-called "cancelled" actors in the film, which includes stars like Shia LaBoeuf, Jon Voight and Dustin Hoffman amongst the supporting cast.

In an interview with Rolling Stone the director addressed his casting choices, particularly Voight, and said: T'he cast features people who were cancelled at one point or another. There were people who are archconservatives and others who are extremely politically progressive. But we were all working on one film together. That was interesting, I thought."

Megalopolis premieres in cinemas on Friday, 27 September.