Fall previews. December.

Apocalypto , "already one of the most talked-about of the season, largely because of the Crazy Mel factor," which Caryn James examines .

[Malika]

That's exactly why he staged that controversy. His previous deal to distribute and fund that Apocalypto was axed. He saw how lawsuits and controversy helped Da Vinci Code. SO he did the same. It did work before for His Passion of the Christ.
All things equal it'll work again. Everybody's doing it in Hollywood as well.