Director Terry Gilliam is facing a wave of criticism after he compared the MeToo movement to “mob rule”.

The Monty Python member suggested the anti-sexual harassment campaign had led to a “world of victims” in an interview with news agency AFP.

He labelled disgraced producer Harvey Weinstein a “monster” before adding: “Harvey opened the door for a few people, a night with Harvey — that’s the price you pay.

“I think some people did very well out of meeting with Harvey and others didn’t. The ones who did, knew what they were doing. These are adults; we are talking about adults with a lot of ambition,” Gilliam told AFP.

Director Judd Apatow labelled his comments “idiotic and dangerous” as a number of stars hit out at the veteran filmmaker.

“He wasn’t in those rooms. He doesn’t know how aggressive and violent and terrifying he (Weinstein) was. Who is he to say it was some sort of offered deal? He should be ashamed of himself,” Apatow wrote on Twitter.

“I think Terry Gilliam is spewing nonsense. These were not transactions.

“His comments about that aspect of this are shameful,” Apatow added.

Comedian Sarah Silverman and actors Kim Sherrell and Ellen Barkin also criticised Gilliam with the former calling for him to understand empathy.

“Terry Gilliam may wanna turn those feelings of fear & uncertainty he’s getting from #metoo/#timesup and realize “Ohh this is how life has been for THEM til now… huh. Wow. Damn.” See? Now it’s empathy,” Silverman wrote on Twitter.

Sherrell labelled Gilliam “insensitive” and accused him of “ruining Monty Python forever” while Barkin tweeted: “Terry Gilliam, you talk too much.”