Source: BBC News

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/south_asia/3651684.stm

On September 13, 2004 the BBC News reported, "Buddhist monks in Sri Lanka have protested against a Hollywood film they say degrades the religion's founder. A poster for Hollywood Buddha shows US-based producer, director and star Philippe Caland sitting on the head of a statue of Lord Buddha. About 500 Buddhist monks from Sri Lanka, Malaysia and Burma gathered outside the US embassy in Colombo on Monday to protest at the movie. It tells of a film producer who turns to Buddhism to boost his career... The poster sparked previous protests in Thailand. Mr. Caland responded by saying he regretted offending Buddhists and that he would withdraw the advertisement. But he said the US release of the film would go ahead on 24 September."