So he was trying to be like Wong Kar-wai [1]:

> Wong has an unusual approach to film making, starting production without a script and generally relying on instinct and improvisation … cast are given a minimal plot outline and expected to develop their characters as they film

Edit: Yes:

> the director has shared a list of 19 movies that inspired Megalopolis … Wong Kar-wai's Chungking Express. [2]

[1]: https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wong_Kar-wai#Method_and_coll...

[2]: https://movieweb.com/megalopolis-director-reviews-his-own-mo...