A Hollywood movie crew got in an unholy row with the Catholic Church - over plans to turn Westminster Cathedral into a replica of the Kremlin.
Producers of Joaquin Phoenix ’s Napoleon biopic had arranged to use the cathedral for filming.
But church bosses got hot under the collar and pulled the plug.
Insiders said they were terrified that turning the site Russian could cause offence during Vladimir Putin ’s Ukraine invasion.
The Apple TV crew headed by legendary Alien director Ridley Scott were forced to scrap their elaborate sets and sources said the scenes would be shot using CGI instead - costing a rumoured £500,000.
It is understood some reduced filming still went ahead without the planned backdrops.
A source said: “The idea of turning such a historic religious site into something so closely linked to Putin was clearly going to be problematic. A decision was made that it just could not happen.
“This is a blockbuster production and the U-turn caused a bit of fuss, to say the least.”
The Kremlin was the historic seat of the Tsars and was occupied by Napoleon when he invaded Russia in 1812 - an incident likely to feature in the new film.
The 119-year-old cathedral is designed in a Byzantine style similar to Russian churches.
It is the centre of the Roman Catholic Church in England and Wales and was the surprise venue of Boris Johnson ’s wedding to Carrie Symonds last May.
Pope Francis has called the war in Ukraine ‘cruel and senseless’ and church bosses are keen to distance themselves from the Russian regime.
The is a popular spot for film crews and has served as a set for Elizabeth: The Golden Age and Alfred Hitchcock’s The Foreign Correspondent.
Joker and The Gladiator star, Joaquin, 47 was snapped last month decked out as the spitting image of the 19th Century conqueror of Europe while filming in Greenwich.
The film named Napoleon chronicles the French wartime leader’s rise to power and is due to be released on Apple’s streaming service next year.
Westminster Cathedral and AppleTV were asked to comment.
