New Spider-Man movie PULLED in Muslim-majority countries over ‘Protect Trans Kids’ poster
Blockbuster Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse has been pulled from theater listings in more than a dozen Muslim-majority countries after a “Protect Trans Kids” poster was seen in a frame of the trailer.
The poster, which was displayed in Gwen Stacy’s bedroom, caused a sensation in the United Arab Emirates Variety. It is now preventing the release of the new Spider-Man movie a week before it was due to hit the big screen.
The first film in the series – Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse – debuted in the country and grossed $1.7 million.
However, it is not uncommon for Muslim-majority countries to cancel film screenings due to LGBT+ themes. Earlier this year, the Disney Pixar’s Lightyear was pulled from the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait and Malaysia due to a same-sex kiss.
The ban on the latest Spider-Man hasn’t been officially announced, but there were hints that it won’t reach the screens.
Initially, it was scheduled to open in the Middle East on June 22, ahead of the Islamic holiday of Eid al-Adha. The film was included in cinema shows in countries such as Kuwait, UAE, Oman, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Bahrain, Lebanon and Egypt last week, but was abruptly withdrawn.
Blockbuster Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse has been pulled from theater listings in more than a dozen Muslim-majority countries after a ‘Protect Trans Kids’ poster was spotted in a frame of the trailer
The poster, seen in Gwen Stacy’s bedroom, sparked concern in the United Arab Emirates. It is now preventing the release of the new Spider-Man movie a week before it was due to hit the big screen
No reason was given, but the brief transgender reference may have caused offense to Arab countries where Muslim majorities, guided by Islamic law or Sharia, often view homosexuality and transgender identity as sinful and contrary to their religious beliefs and societal norms.
The film includes a scene where a transgender flag printed with the words “Protect Trans Kids” hangs in the room of Gwen Stacy, a spider superhero voiced by actress Hailee Steinfeld.
The UAE, home to the futuristic city of Dubai and the world’s tallest skyscraper, has not officially banned the film. The Federation of Seven Sheikhdoms once announced an end to censorship of cinema releases in an effort to bolster its brand as a liberal hub that appeals to foreigners, but it has continued to withdraw some films from its theaters.
The first movie in the series – Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse – debuted in the country and grossed $1.7 million
Initially, it was scheduled to open in the Middle East on June 22, ahead of the Islamic holiday of Eid al-Adha. The film was included in cinema shows in countries such as Kuwait, UAE, Oman, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Bahrain, Lebanon and Egypt last week, but was abruptly withdrawn
Emaar Entertainment, a state-owned company and parent company of major UAE cinema company Reel Cinemas, confirmed to the Associated Press that it will not screen Across the Spider-Verse. The company credited the decision to Empire Entertainment, the exclusive theatrical distributor of Sony Pictures films in the Middle East.
A source close to the film who was not authorized to speak publicly told the AP that the country has strict censorship of films aimed at children and younger viewers.
Saudi Cinema’s official Twitter page said in a statement with a poster of the film attached that the organization will not approve any film that violates national media content rules and whose “production companies do not commit to undertake to make the required changes’.
However, it is not uncommon for Muslim-majority countries to cancel film screenings due to LGBT+ themes. Earlier this year, the Disney Pixar’s Lightyear was pulled from the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait and Malaysia due to a same-sex kiss
The superhero movie starring Marvel Comics character Miles Morales as Spider-Man debuted in U.S. theaters in early June, tripling the domestic opening weekend revenue of its Oscar-winning prequel.
In a similar incident last year, Disney’s “Lightyear” was banned in 13 Muslim-majority countries because of a lesbian kiss scene. The moment had previously been cut from the film, but was reinstated after Pixar employees protested Disney’s response to Florida legislation that opponents dubbed the “Don’t Say Gay” law.
Into the Spider-Verse, the prequel to Across the Spider-Verse, had a successful run in the region when it premiered in 2018. Children’s sports backpacks in Lebanon feature Miles Morales, the main character of the franchise and the first Black Spider-Man, while shopping malls in the UAE sell action figures of the film’s superheroes.
Across the Spider-Verse is part two in a trilogy that concludes with a third chapter that will hit regional cinemas next year.