The Da Vinci Code movie has been thrown into chaos after test audiences admitted they hated Tom Hanks' hairstyle. The normally short-haired actor grew his locks for the role of Robert Langdon in the adaptation of Dan Brown's best-selling novel, but viewers admitted to researchers they found his lank locks a major turn-off. A studio insider told The Sun newspaper: "Much of the talk is about the hair. But it's too late to fix it."

Hanks admitted to Japanese Prime Minister Junichro Koizumi earlier this month he had modelled his 'bowl cut' hairstyle on the world leader. On meeting Koizumi, the star said: "I wanted a haircut that looked like you."

The $220 million blockbuster, directed by former Happy Days star Ron Howard, is to be released next month but studio executives are now worried the leading man's hair will put audiences, particularly younger movie goers, off.

The Da Vinci Code sees Hanks and co-star Audrey Tatou follow a trail of clues hidden in the art works of Leonardo Da Vinci, to solve the murder of a museum curator. The Colombia Pictures release, also starring Ian McKellen, Jean Reno and Alfred Molina, opens on May 19th.