Barbie faces more issues: Greta Gerwig's film might get banned in Saudi Arabia because...
Barbie released on July 21
Greta Gerwig’s Barbie is now running into more censorship issues ahead of its premiere in the Middle East. After the planned release of the Margot Robbie-Ryan Gosling film for July 19, it was pushed back to in the Middle East to August 31. But looks like it won’t meet this release date too. Vox Cinemas, Warner Bros’ local distribution partner, had pushed it to August 31 as the studio is trying to work out edits requested by censors, related to alleged LGBTQ-related narration and dialogues in Barbie.
The cuts requested by the region, are however, not agreed to by the studio. Therefore, it’s likely that Barbiewill not release in at least some Middle East territories, including in Saudi Arabia, which is the region’s top market, as well as possibly other territories including the United Arab Emirates, Kuwait and Egypt.
Also read:Japan refuses to co-market Barbie and Oppenheimer together over Nolan's depiction of nuclear war
Reportedly, Saudi film and entertainment platform Movsto posted on social media saying that Barbie will not be shown in Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Qatar, the UAE, Egypt and Bahrain.
The Barbie film stars several openly LGBTQ actors such as Kate McKinnon, Hari Nef, Alexandra Shipp and Scott Evans. The film, however, does not have much content that is blatantly queer.
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Movies in the Middle East concerning or containing sex, homosexuality and religious issues are routinely edited to comply with censorship rules.
If a studio is unwilling to make cuts suggested by censors the films are banned.
Barbie centres on the life of the world’s famous Mattel doll as she faces an existential crisis in her “perfect” doll world.
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