The Most Controversial Movies Of 2024 So Far

Movies have always been known to generate buzz. Dating back to the days of the 1890s, when moviegoers thought a train on the silver screen was really headed for them, films have wielded the power to get people united in conversation. If your film isn't getting anyone talking, it likely didn't do anything too artistically engaging. This is just as true for modern-day motion pictures as it is for classic silent features. To stand out in the current crowded pop culture landscape, you've got to make some noise one way or another. 

Just look at the slew of 2024 movies that have already been put on people's radars because of certain deeply controversial creative choices. Some of these movies employed AI technology in a way that frustrated people, while others changed true stories to the point that real-life souls felt erased. Still other costly motion pictures had their general releases greatly overshadowed by pre-release chatter and memes.

Controversy comes in all shapes and sizes in the modern world. Some of it comes from marginalized or oppressed people making their voices heard. Other times it's due to matters that look quite silly in hindsight. Whatever the source of, or retrospective viewpoint on, these controversies, these 2024 motion pictures all reflect how easy it is to drum up publicity when your movie is sparking fiery conversations.

In "Late Night with the Devil," late night host Jack Delroy (David Dastmalchian) gets the fright of his life when bringing a supposedly "possessed" little girl on his show as a stunt guest. For the characters in the movie, the scares come from potential Satanic forces creeping into the studio. In real life, though, the scariest thing about "Late Night with the Devil" was its use of AI art. For a handful of on-screen visuals indicating that Delroy's show was cutting to a commercial, directors Cameron and Colin Cairnes relied on AI-generated imagery. The revelation about the film's use of the technology broke in the days leading up to its March 2024 theatrical release, which sparked widespread debate over the ethics of using such material in a major motion picture.

It didn't help that "Late Night with the Devil" was coming on the heels of a pair of massive Hollywood strikes centered heavily around the idea of AI technology taking people's jobs. Complaints surrounding this element became so widespread that key creative folks associated with "Late Night with the Devil" eventually had to speak out about the matter. Cameron and Colin Cairnes released a statement to Variety emphasizing the minimal nature of these images and praising the movie's production team. David Dastmalchian, meanwhile, backed up the statement from the directors but also underscored that having discussions about the ethics of AI in cinema was extremely essential.

Roughly a month before its release, "Ex Machina" mastermind Alex Garland's latest directorial effort, "Civil War," began inspiring discussions over the necessity of releasing such a transgressive movie in an election year. Outlets ran pieces collecting social media posts, illustrating concern that "Civil War" could inspire people to engage in violence against people as well as finding the very concept of "Civil War" unpleasant to consider in a toxic political climate. Ongoing extreme political strife in the United States made it seem like "Civil War' could just add more noise to the chaos rather than say anything interesting. 

There was enough debate over the ethics of releasing "Civil War" in 2024 that Garland had to field questions about the movie's relevancy during its press tour. A common refrain from Garland expressed the idea that "Civil War" wasn't meant to necessarily comment on America exclusively in 2024, but rather on a rampant disconnect between people across the modern world. Emphasizing that "Civil War" dealt with more general themes was meant to quell worries that this grim drama was uncomfortably ripped from the headlines. Still, the divisive nature of the movie was even reflected in its initial positive reviews, which noted that the film was a difficult watch destined to generate lots of heated debate.

Some comic book movies are initially greeted with excited anticipation only to be met by widespread disappointment. Months of bubbly enthusiasm quickly curdle into resentment over the underwhelming final product. "Madame Web," by contrast, was a punchline from the very start of its marketing campaign. An iconic line about how "he was with my mom in the Amazon when she was researching spiders right before she died" quickly became a viral sensation for all the wrong reasons. Expectations were low for the production and the eventual movie still came in below those hopes. 

It didn't help that the theatrical release was overshadowed by a barrage of mini-controversies over various statements given by Dakota Johnson during the "Madame Web" press tour. Johnson's entertainingly idiosyncratic style of deadpan verbiage was a sharp contrast to other comic book movie leads, who only speak about their projects with breathless reverence. As a result, Johnson's enjoyably flippant descriptions of experiences like shooting in front of a blue screen for the first time were interpreted to mean she despised "Madame Web" before anyone had even seen the movie. 

Discourse around Johnson's press comments quickly became more popular than actually talking about "Madame Web." Further controversy emerged when, just a day before the film's premiere, it was revealed that the "mom in the Amazon" line wasn't even in the final film. There was just no end to the whirlwind of negative controversies that plagued "Madame Web" even before its first public showings began. 

The fourth entry in many film series can often be an awful disappointment, either with critics, audiences, or both. In the case of the "Kung Fu Panda" saga, though, "Kung Fu Panda 4" is a box office hit destined for a domestic haul far above all other "Kung Fu Panda" sequels. But that impressive accomplishment hasn't been enough to fend off disaster for many DreamWorks Animation employees. Just a week after "Kung Fu Panda 4" premiered domestically, news broke that DreamWorks Animation was undergoing massive layoffs. The studio had reportedly let hundreds of contract workers go and even paused production on a proposed original feature for 2026. Countless animators and creative members of the company were about to lose their jobs.

Pop culture commentators lined up to lambast the news and especially criticized how the box office success of "Kung Fu Panda 4" wasn't providing job security for the folks responsible for bringing that movie to life. This only exacerbated prior concerns surrounding comments made by "Kung Fu Panda 4" co-director Stephanie Stein, about the behind-the-scenes troubles that plagued the creation of the movie. Her anecdotes about the film's screenwriting issues and rushed instances of fan-service already cast a dark shadow over "Kung Fu Panda 4." Having the film's release tied to widespread layoffs at DreamWorks Animation only furthered the controversy surrounding this box office sensation.

While the 2024 musical "Mean Girls" movie updates many things from the previous 2004 "Mean Girls" film, it does retain a handful of cast members from the original feature. Among those returning actors was Lindsay Lohan, showing up in a surprise cameo as a judge during a climactic academic competition. Her screentime includes a meta line of dialogue where her character notes that the nail-biter finale of this competition has only "happened once before" (a reference to the original "Mean Girls"). That should have been the end of Lindsay Lohan's connection to the new "Mean Girls," but unfortunately, a joke in the remake soon earned her ire.

The theatrical cut of the "Mean Girls" remake featured a moment where Megan Thee Stallion (playing herself) references the term "fire crotch," a derogatory phrase previously associated with Lohan in the 2000s. Back when the "Mean Girls" update first premiered, Lohan's publicist disclosed that the actor was reportedly very distressed over the presence of this reference. Lohan's words seemed to have resonated with somebody behind the movie: a month after her outcry was first registered, the 2024 "Mean Girls" remake dropped onto digital platforms – but without the "fire crotch" line. The film's reverence for Lohan apparently extended far beyond just giving the actor a cameo appearance. 

Initially, it'd be hard to imagine anything about "Arthur the King" ruffling any feathers. This is a very bog-standard dog/reluctant owner movie, in the vein of other titles ranging from "Alpha" to "The Call of the Wild." The specific story of "Arthur the King" concerns a stray dog by the name of Arthur connecting with runner Michael Light (Mark Wahlberg). The duo bond while making a near-impossible trek through dangerous terrain together in this adaptation of a true story, which altered the backdrop of the actual saga from Ecuador to the Dominican Republic.

This is where the controversy over "Arthur the King" enters the picture. Disgruntled responses arose from native citizens in Ecuador that the country had been erased from the history of the real man/canine duo at the heart of "Arthur the King." Arthur's origins as a pooch from Ecuador were apparently important enough for Mikael Lindnord — the real-life inspiration for Wahlberg's character — to mention the country in a 2020 Instagram post mourning Arthur's passing. 

Why wasn't Ecuador critical enough to warrant a presence in "Arthur the King"? Speaking to the Ecuador Times, Gabriel Carrión (a representative working with Arthur's legacy) noted that "Arthur the King" was shot in the Dominican Republic instead simply because shooting locations were more favorable in that country. No matter the reasoning, though, leaving Ecuador out of "Arthur the King" stirred up controversy over the last 2024 movie you'd expect to be divisive. 

In director Jean-Stéphane Sauvaire's "Asphalt City," the average existence of New York City paramedics is framed through the eyes of newbie Ollie Cross (Tye Sheridan) and veteran Gene Rutovsky (Sean Penn). Their exploits in the Big Apple shatter Cross's preconceived notions of the world. Being a paramedic is grimy work that, in the hands of Sauvaire, involves Cross and Rutkosvky navigating the worst of humankind just to help the innocent. The proceedings are incredibly bleak and meant to make something like "Bringing Out the Dead" look like "Spy Kids" tonally. Such gnarly cinema is always going to be divisive, but "Asphalt City" was especially reviled by those who caught it in theaters.

Major review outlets chastised "Asphalt City' for being excessive misery cinema lingering on the pain of working-class and financially struggling souls. Such torment was deemed especially heinous due to screenwriters Ben Mac Brown and Ryan King failing to develop ordinary New York lives beyond the anguish they experienced. This led to widespread criticism over the film's generic portrayal of New York City. Certain reviews and social media posts even claimed the movie lapsed into racially insensitive material with its depiction of New York citizens. Being a paramedic in New York can't be easy, but the controversy surrounding "Asphalt City" made it sound like watching this movie was no picnic either.

When movies premiere at big events like the Sundance Film Festival, audience reactions are bound to be more pronounced: this is usually the first time general moviegoers are seeing a finished film. There is no pre-release buzz over its quality or controversial elements to help orient one's expectations. This is especially true for indie titles like "Sasquatch Sunset," which debuted at the 2024 Sundance Film Festival shrouded in secrecy. 

Once the movie started rolling, audiences were greeted with a bizarre motion picture from directors Nathan and David Zellner about a family of Sasquatch that includes members played by actors like Jesse Eisenberg and Riley Keough. These cryptids do not speak English, but only communicate in grunts and roars. The Zellners are also very committed to depicting every aspect of Sasquatch existence, including defecating, mating, and anything else under the sun.

The unabashedly frank and unorthodox filmmaking choices of "Sasquatch Sunset" propelled many moviegoers at its Sundance premiere to run for the exit long before the movie was finished, a reflection of just how strange "Sasquatch Sunset" was. The film inspired so many walkouts that the departing audience members themselves became somewhat infamous. The same movie many critics praised as a new comedy masterpiece also repelled many moviegoers. Whether you loved or hated it, "Sasquatch Sunset" inspired more potent reactions than nearly any other 2024 Sundance title.

The "Inside Out" films chronicle the exploits of many different emotions living inside the head of a young girl named Riley. However, the only emotion many fans felt was anger when news emerged that two of the first film's voice actors wouldn't be returning for "Inside Out 2." In 2022, it was revealed that the follow-up would not feature Bill Hader and Mindy Kaling reprising their roles as Fear and Disgust, respectively. Their absence came down to a pay dispute, with both actors wanting more than the $100,000 they were each offered for the sequel. Disney opted to recast the roles entirely, with "Toy Story 4" veteran Tony Hale playing Fear and Liza Lapira stepping in as Disgust.

The news of two memorable "Inside Out" performers failing to come back for the sequel inspired rampant criticism from the internet. In hindsight, this development was especially strange because Hader was previously in five different Pixar movies (including "Inside Out"). Unfortunately, after this pay dispute, it's doubtful this fixture of Pixar movies from the 2010s will be working with the studio again anytime soon.

Before "Argylle" was released into theaters, there was an avalanche of controversy surrounding its source material. Initially, "Argylle" was announced as an adaptation of then-unreleased books by enigmatic author Elly Conway. Conspiracy theorists later went into overdrive when it came out that this supposed author might not even exist. In hindsight, this was just a cutesy detail which stealthily unlocked the fictional world of "Argylle," in which Elly Conway is the name of the film's protagonist, an author of espionage novels who gets wrapped up in a real spy adventure.

However, before that information was made clear, speculation ran wild on the underlying meaning of "Argylle." Things got so out of control that one popular theory persisted, suggesting that Taylor Swift was behind the single "Argylle" book that did see the light of day. All this controversy over the origins of "Argylle" put the film on the media's radar, but didn't move the needle with audiences. "Argylle" became a box office flop, leaving that pre-release trail of conspiracy theories as its sole pop culture legacy.

Just as it debuted at the 2022 edition of the Toronto International Film Festival, disaster struck writer-director-star Vera Drew's "The People's Joker." The production had been hit with a cease-and-desist letter from Warner Bros. Discovery, owner of DC Comics and the Joker character. After its solitary screening at TIFF, "The People's Joker" had to be withdrawn from public view. Immediately, a wave of controversy surrounded Drew's passion project over the legal issues preventing "The People's Joker" from being seen by moviegoers.

For the first half of 2023, the film was stuck in cinematic limbo. Things got so bad that Drew even publicly reached out to folks like James Gunn on social media to help get "The People's Joker" out to the people. Other outlets ran pieces defending the movie as an example of fair use parody rather than something a studio could legally prohibit from existing. After months of protesting, "The People's Joker" finally had its U.S. premiere at Outfest in July 2023, with a general theatrical release occurring the following April. It took lots of patience, but "The People's Joker" survived a lengthy stint in film purgatory and even used all that controversy to build up its reputation as a transgressive piece of cinema.

The fights surrounding the 2024 "Road House" remake were not just limited to its onscreen bouts of violence. There was a ton of behind-the-scenes drama on the film that spilled over into the world. One of the biggest controversies surrounding the movie came through its director, Doug Liman, who lambasted Amazon MGM Studios for sending the feature straight to streaming. While Liman would later back off his initial promise to skip the South by Southwest premiere of "Road House," his initial criticisms of Amazon were still incredibly candid.

Then there was a lawsuit brought by original "Road House" screenwriter R. Lance Hill, alleging that Amazon and MGM were engaging in copyright infringement by pursuing a "Road House" remake. On top of that, Hill also alleged that Amazon MGM Studios had utilized AI technology to mimic the voices of "Road House" actors during the 2023 Screen Actor's Guild strike. Within a month, the reputation of the new "Road House" had been defined by two subjects (streaming and AI technology) that are currently at the forefront of all discussions about cinema's future. That didn't seem to turn viewers off, however, as "Road House" became a streaming success.

It's impossible to talk about "Atlas" without talking about the AI controversy, since it's central to the movie's plot — Jennifer Lopez stars as Atlas Shepherd, a counterterrorism analyst who doesn't trust artificial intelligence. This sci-fi flick is set mainly in the 2070s, when space travel is the norm. When Atlas is stranded on an alien planet with an AI named Smith (Gregory James Cohan), she gradually comes to trust her AI companion, and the two work together to stop another more dangerous AI named Harlan (Simu Liu).

While this is all well and good as a character arc, the implications about AI are unsettling. To some viewers, the movie feels uncomfortably close to pro-AI propaganda – pro-AI propaganda that also boasts JLo and cool mech battles, but propaganda nonetheless. This comes off as especially tone-deaf so close on the heels of the WGA and SAG-AFTRA strikes, which voiced concerns about studios relying too much on AI.

The movie at least tries to give both sides a fair hearing; it shows there is good AI (like Smith) and bad AI (like Harlan). But since the film's ending focuses on Atlas losing Smith (and their subsequent joyful reunion), it ultimately comes down on the side of AI. Fans have accused "Atlas" of trying too hard to send the message that AI is infallible and that people should step back and let AI do the thinking. In fact, the movie is so generic and cliché-ridden that some viewers have even speculated that it was written by AI.

"The Garfield Movie," which dropped in cineplexes in May 2024, has come under fire for its obvious and sometimes ridiculous use of product placement. Critics also winced at the movie's shoehorned inclusion of pizza delivery drones, with the writers pressing home the idea that they're very convenient. But the real crime, according to many fans, was the choice to cast Chris Pratt as Garfield. Many have said Pratt sounds nothing like what they imagined their beloved comic strip character to sound like. It certainly doesn't help that Pratt seems to use his normal voice and makes no effort to sound like previous iterations of Garfield.

Other fans took issue with the casting choice because they felt Chris Pratt had already reached a saturation point in Hollywood. Sony Pictures seemingly cast him because he was the safe choice, not necessarily because he was the best actor for the role. Most critics agree that Pratt's portrayal of Garfield as more energetic and less grumpy is a betrayal of the feline we all know and love.

People were so upset by Pratt being cast in "The Garfield Movie" that they launched a petition on Change.org calling for a recast, stating: "Chris Pratt has already ruined Mario, we have time to save Garfield from his grasp. We want Garfield's usual voice, whether it's by a previous voice actor or someone who can do a good impression, ANYTHING but Chris Pratt being himself.. Again." As much as critics loathed the 2004 "Garfield" movie, some have started to miss Bill Murray's take on the character after watching this new film.

Sometimes all it takes is a single joke to catapult a movie into controversy: One tone-deaf gag in "The Fall Guy" likely spoiled an otherwise fun action-comedy for some viewers. In the film, which follows a Hollywood stuntman, studio exec Gail Meyer (Hannah Waddingham) enters a trailer and finds a mess. She remarks, "It's like Amber and Johnny were just in here" — an obvious reference to Johnny Depp's alleged abuse of Amber Heard. Many felt this joke was unnecessary and distasteful because it makes light of domestic violence.

Screenwriter Drew Pearce defended the line, insisting that the filmmakers intentionally made a joke in poor taste because Gail is supposed to be a villain. He told The Hollywood Reporter, "No decent human being would ever make a joke about that subject, and Gail's character is clearly not a decent human being." While that may be the case, the line still left audiences with a bad taste in their mouths.

The controversy overshadowed discussion of the movie itself and seemingly impacted the film's box office: News of the joke turned away some potential audience members who had previously been excited to see the film. On X, @pixiemusings wrote, "This is extremely disappointing. I intended to see The Fall Guy. I won't now." In the end, this was just one of many reasons why "The Fall Guy" bombed at the box office.

If you or someone you know is dealing with domestic abuse, you can call the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1−800−799−7233. You can also find more information, resources, and support at their website.

When watching Johnny Depp's comeback film, the French period piece "Jeanne du Barry," it's difficult not to think about the controversy surrounding the actor. Depp's legacy is now unavoidably tied to his libel case against Amber Heard and the abuse allegations she made against him. As a result, some observers have criticized the Cannes Film Festival for giving Depp a platform. Meanwhile, the film's director and co-lead, Maïwenn, is also embroiled in controversy. The mononymous star openly admitted to assaulting a journalist and spitting in his face. She has also made some remarks that are dismissive of the #MeToo movement.

If you put two controversial figures in the same room, you're bound to end up with even more controversy. Sure enough, there were tensions between Depp and Maïwenn behind the scenes. By Maïwenn's account, Depp (who plays Louis XV) expected to be treated like real royalty. She told French Premiere (via World of Reel) that even though Depp sometimes failed to show up on time and kept the film crew waiting, she "was not allowed to knock on the door of his dressing room." According to actor Bernard Montiel, Maïwenn retaliated against Depp by showing up late the next day. "They're screaming at each other the whole time," Montiel shared on the French talk show "Touche pas à mon poste!" (via Daily Beast).

The action-comedy "Boy Kills World" follows a deaf main character (Bill Skårsgard) out to get bloody revenge. The gimmick is that audiences can hear the character's "inner voice," with Skårsgard narrating his own actions. Many fans loved the cheeky voice-over, feeling it was a clever way to poke fun at the genre. On the other hand, some critics felt the nonstop commentary from the inner voice was obnoxious and only interrupted the action.

To further complicate things, the filmmakers chose to replace Skårsgard's voice-over between the 2023 festival screening and the 2024 theatrical release, so the theatrical version had an entirely new voice-actor for Boy's inner voice: H. Jon Benjamin of "Bob's Burgers" fame. Some folks found the film hard to take seriously because of the voice swap, while others felt Benjamin was perfectly suited for the movie's dark comedic tone.

The main controversy here is that many fans wished the creators had cast a deaf actor to play the lead, or at least taken more time to show Boy speaking sign language. "It's made clear that he knows sign language," said Liam O'Dell. "It's just a shame that this is only shown in two brief scenes, and his use of sign language isn't extended to other interactions." Still, some viewers appreciated a chance to see an action movie with a deaf main character whose deafness is not his only defining quality.

"Miller's Girl" courts controversy right from the get-go, since its central premise involves a relationship with an uncomfortable age gap. In this Netflix film, an 18-year-old student named Cairo (Jenny Ortega) flirts with her teacher (Martin Freeman), who encourages this behavior until it starts to threaten his career. When Miller pushes her away, Cairo threatens to expose their relationship. In spite of (or perhaps because of) the controversy, this erotic thriller has blown up on Netflix.

While it is certainly possible to make a nuanced movie about inappropriate student-teacher relationships, "Miller's Girl" is no such movie. Yes, the film does chastise Miller for not acting like a responsible adult, and writer-director Jade Halley Bartlett has condemned Miller's actions, telling Yahoo! that "what he does is reprehensible." Still, the film could be read as being too sympathetic toward Miller's so-called "plight" as a middle-aged man infatuated with his female student.

Some viewers have defended the film, saying that it doesn't condone Cairo and Miller's relationship and that the uncomfortable age gap is "the entire point," as @kateefeldman wrote on X. Others have argued that the film is fundamentally icky because it positions the teenage girl as the antagonist, a dangerous stereotype to perpetuate because it risks placing the blame on real-life victims of sexual misconduct.

If you or anyone you know has been a victim of sexual assault, help is available. Visit the Rape, Abuse & Incest National Network website or contact RAINN's National Helpline at 1-800-656-HOPE (4673).

The dramedy film "Ezra" is about a father named Max (Bobby Cannavale) who violates a restraining order to take his autistic son Ezra (William A. Fitzgerald) on a cross-country road trip — without stopping to ask Erza what he wants. The filmmakers cast an actor on the autistic spectrum (William A. Fitzgerald) to play Ezra, and the story is inspired by the screenwriter's experiences as a parent to an autistic child. Still, there is some debate about how sensitively the film handles its subject matter.

Many critics praised the film's honest exploration of a father who loves his son very much but whose approach to raising his son is seriously misguided. The film celebrates what makes Ezra different and acknowledges Max's questionable parenting choices, since his character arc is about learning to see the world through his son's eyes. But, for some viewers, it was hard to get on board with a protagonist who basically kidnaps his son.

Some critics felt that the film handwaves Max's irresponsible decisions as just a misunderstanding, with Robert de Niro's character giving a speech that essentially tells Max that he did the right thing. Others have pointed out that Max is a selfish and deluded character at heart, yet the movie still expects you to be rooting for him. All of this added up to "Ezra" becoming one of the most controversial films of 2024.

Who says a movie needs to be shot with a traditional camera, or even in the spectrum of visible light? These are the questions asked by the people behind "Aggro Dr1ft," and the resulting film raises some bold but controversial questions. Shot entirely with thermal imaging infrared cameras, this indie film (which follows an assassin who is hunting a demonic crime lord) looks like nothing you've ever seen before — though you may be reminded of quite a few video games.

When "Aggro Dr1ft" was first screened at the Venice Film Festival in 2023, it was polarizing. Some audience members walked out before the movie was over, while others stuck around until the end and gave a 10-minute standing ovation. By the time "Aggro Dr1ft" got a wide theatrical release in 2024, critics were still torn on the film. Some reviewers appreciated the sheer audacity of the boundary-pushing movie, praising its haunting visual style and insisting that the film's trippy nihilism is precisely the point.

Meanwhile, other critics felt the film was almost juvenile in its simplicity, like something dreamed up by a teenager who plays too much "Grand Auto Theft." In keeping with the video game aesthetic, the characters resemble lifeless avatars, while the dialogue feels distractingly scripted and artificial. Many critics felt the film was a bit of a slog to get through but still respected the way director Harmony Korine ("Kids") pushed the boundaries of cinema.

George Miller used plenty of practical effects in "Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga," but there's one aspect of the film that relies on AI, which naturally sparked some controversy. If you're wondering why adult Furiosa (Anya Taylor-Joy) looks so similar to young Furiosa (Alyla Browne), it's because the filmmakers used AI to merge their faces together. Training the AI using footage of Taylor-Joy and Browne, the effects team created a composite of both actor's faces and superimposed it over Browne's face. "We wanted to make Alyla's eye shape more similar to the way that Anya might have looked when she was that age," VFX supervisor Andrew Jackson told IndieWire. "In some of the closeup stuff, there's quite a significant component that's been modified."

Some observers have argued that the AI in "Furiosa" is actually used ethically because it doesn't necessarily cost jobs. VFX houses tend to get a set amount of money for a project rather than being paid by the hour, and this particular kind of AI usage could potentially reduce workload in a field notorious for pushing artists to exhaustion. Of course, it may still set a dangerous precedent, hence the controversy. How long is it before technology will allow filmmakers to create the likeness of an actor with no outside input? According to Anya Taylor-Joy, transparency will be vital going forward. "I think if you're going to use it you have to be honest about it and it always has to be consensual," she told The Kelly Clarkson Show.

Any film about a major political figure is bound to be controversial, but Donald Trump makes an especially touchy topic for a film like this, given how divisive the former president is. "The Apprentice" has gotten generally favorable reviews, with critics praising the performance of Sebastian Stan as Trump. And, at the 2024 Cannes Film festival, the film received a standing ovation that lasted several minutes. That doesn't mean everybody is happy with it. Unsurprisingly, Trump's campaign team denounced the film. "This garbage is pure fiction," Trump spokesperson Steven Cheung told Deadline, adding, "It belongs in a dumpster fire."

The film also came under fire for a scene suggesting that Trump (Sebastian Stan) raped his then-wife Ivana (Maria Bakalova). Although the scene is based partially on allegations made by Ivana during her divorce from Trump, Ivana later said that a Daily Beast article about the allegations was "totally without merit," making it hard to determine how much of this sequence is fiction. What's more, "The Apprentice" even left one of its own investors furious.

After pouring money into "The Apprentice," billionaire Dan Snyder (who donated over a million dollars to Trump's inaugural committee) objected to the film – he apparently assumed that the movie would cast his friend in a favorable light. "The Apprentice" has since struggled to find a U.S. distributor, and some have accused Snyder's company, Kinematics, of delaying a distribution deal. A source from Snyder's camp insisted that he has nothing to do with the movie's behind-the-scenes tug of war.

"Horizon: An American Saga" is yet another movie that got a standing ovation at Cannes but couldn't avoid controversy. Kevin Costner's three-hour epic was supposed to be the first in a four-film series, so many audience members were annoyed that the movie is all setup and no payoff. In fact, many wondered why Costner didn't just make it a TV series instead. Of course, it's impossible to talk about "Horizon" without talking about why Kevin Costner left "Yellowstone," which has been the source of much drama.

Costner left "Yellowstone" so he could focus on "Horizon," which led to accusations that he was abandoning the TV show, but Costner argued that he always put "Yellowstone" first. According to Costner, he was more than happy to work around the show's schedule and only film "Horizon" in the gaps between seasons. "They just kept moving their gaps," he told Deadline. Costner was frustrated by the constant delays and the way Paramount was repeatedly asking him to extend his contract, so he departed the show.

By the end, Costner felt that nobody involved with the show was standing up for him. He told People: "There came a moment where I thought, 'Wow, when is somebody going to say something about what I have done versus what I haven't done?'" Speaking to The Hollywood Reporter, showrunner Taylor Sheridan said that he was "disappointed" about Costner's decision but wished him all the best with his film. Unfortunately for Costner, "Horizon" bombed at the box office and the already-filmed follow-up was pulled from its release slot.

One of the most controversial movies of 2024 took more than four decades to bring to life. The ambitious production of Francis Ford Coppola's "Megalopolis" (which follows Adam Driver's Cesar, an architect with the power to control time) has been contentious, to say the least. For one, there are allegations that Coppola crossed personal boundaries on set: While filming a nightclub scene, Coppola reportedly tried to kiss scantily-clad extras. Insiders have claimed (per The Guardian) that Coppola later said that he was "trying to get them in the mood."

What's more, Coppola fired most of his visual effects team in 2022. Anonymous crew members expressed frustration that the production dragged on longer than necessary because Coppola preferred to make decisions on the day of the shoot, even though many sequences required extensive planning in advance. When one crew member asked for more time to pin down the aesthetic of the film, Coppola reportedly said, "How can you figure out what Megalopolis looks like when I don't even know what Megalopolis looks like?"

A film set must be troubled indeed if the director admits that they can't visualize the world they're trying to create. However, Coppola denied that the production of "Megalopolis" was in chaos. Given that Coppola's film "Apocalypse Now" was also notorious for its troubled production history, yet went on to become a cinematic classic, it still might be possible for "Megalopolis" to escape the shadow of its behind-the-scenes drama, but it remains known largely for its controversies in 2024.

"Terrifier 2" was a controversial film in 2022, causing some moviegoers to faint thanks to its intense gore. The third installment ups the ante in terms of the carnage, and it wastes no time in doing so — the opening scene of "Terrifier 3" has been the cause of much controversy. Not only is it extremely violent, but one of the victims is a child. The Christmastime-set slasher film hit U.S. theaters in October 2024 after a lively Gala premiere in London where the long and bloody opening scene "reportedly caused nine audience members to walk out, whilst making two others violently ill," the horror magazine Scream reported.

Writer-director Damien Leone was well aware that "Terrifier 3" was going to have this effect on people, so much so that he arranged for an ambulance to be stationed on site for the first showing in Chicago. It may well have been a PR stunt, but the controversy surrounding the release was very real. "It's become a staple of the franchise that we really have to have delivered the goods with at least one epic kill scene," Leone told Yahoo Entertainment," adding that these films are "built on controversy and exploitation and shock value." In other words, "Terrifier 3" wouldn't be a "Terrifier" film without some backlash. The controversy certainly didn't impact the receipts, with "Terrifier 3" posting impressive box office numbers.

Colleen Hoover's 2016 novel "It Ends with Us" primarily focuses on an abusive relationship between a woman named Lily Bloom and a man named Ryle Kincaid. Thanks to Hoover's career explosion (as facilitated largely by Booktok), her books have garnered nearly as much negative attention as they have fans, and the subject matter of "It Ends with Us" has made it highly controversial. The book has received criticism from people who feel that it depicts domestic violence as melodramatic and even romantic, and Hoover's writing has also been criticized, with some TikTok users labeling it hackneyed and nonsensical. 

Hollywood sought to capitalize on the popularity of "It Ends with Us" with a film adaptation starring Blake Lively as Lily Bloom in 2024. During the promotion of the film, Lively and most others associated with its rollout focused more on the lighter elements of the film, like the romantic side of Lily's relationship with Ryle and Lily's job as a florist. This led to a backlash, with many asking why those involved weren't more honest about the central thrust of the story. Justin Baldoni (who directs and co-stars opposite Lively's Lily as Ryle Kincaid) was largely absent from big events, which could be because he was the only person who openly focused on the domestic violence depicted in the film.

If you or someone you know is dealing with domestic abuse, you can call the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1−800−799−7233. You can also find more information, resources, and support at their website.

Fans have been waiting for a film version of "Wicked" for years, and the hype hit fever pitch when it was revealed that vocal powerhouses Ariana Grande and Cynthia Erivo would be co-starring as Galinda and Elphaba on the big screen. The movie faced some early controversy when Grande, who had just split from her husband a month prior, went public with a romantic relationship with "Wicked" actor Ethan Slater (Boq Woodsman). Slater filed for divorce from his wife almost immediately following the reveal, and it was not a particularly positive association for the film as rumors of infidelity swirled (though, according to Us Weekly, "there was no overlap between the relationships"). The story faded over the next few months and when the film's promotional run started in earnest, all the focus was on the November 2024 release. However, there was more controversy around the corner due to a very unfortunate misprint on the packaging of Mattel's tie-in toys.

Instead of providing a URL address for parents and kids to learn more about the film on the back of its "Wicked" doll boxes, the toy giant accidentally printed a link to a pornographic website. It was put down to human error — the adult website in question has a really similar URL to the film's official page. Even so, it was highly embarrassing for everyone involved. "Mattel was made aware of a misprint on the packaging of the Mattel Wicked collection dolls, primarily sold in the US, which intended to direct consumers to the official WickedMovie.com landing page," the company said in a statement (via CNN). "We deeply regret this unfortunate error and are taking immediate action to remedy this. Parents are advised that the misprinted, incorrect website is not appropriate for children."

Based on the comic book series of the same name by James O'Barr, 1994's "The Crow" became a cult classic for a tragic reason — star Brandon Lee, the son of martial arts movie icon Bruce Lee, was shot and killed in an on-set accident. The film was near completion at the time of the tragedy, and director Alex Proyas managed to finish "The Crow" after Lee died using a combination of digital trickery and doubles. "The Crow" has come to represent Lee's life and career, which is precisely why the 2024 remake starring Bill Skarsgård as Eric Draven (a resurrected man looking for revenge on the people who murdered him and his fiancée) became controversial.

Taking to Facebook to add his two cents to the backlash the film was receiving, Proyas said: "I think the fan's response speaks volumes. 'The Crow' is not just a movie. Brandon Lee died making it, and it was finished as a testament to his lost brilliance and tragic loss. It is his legacy. That's how it should remain." Of course, this wasn't the first new movie set in this world since the 1994 film. Three sequels (1996's "The Crow: City of Angels," 2000's "The Crow: Salvation," and 2005's "The Crow: Wicked Prayer") have been released, though they largely focused on different characters. The 2024 remake cut too close to the bone for many, which is partly why "The Crow" bombed at the box office.