Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse banned from release in Saudi Arabia and UAE
The two nations have both U-turned on plans to show the animated film
Saudi Arabia and UAE will not be giving a cinema run to Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse.
The recent release is a sequel to the 2018 movie Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse, which introduced Miles Morales (Shameik Moore) as a new Spider-Man.
Miles can be seen on a mission to explore the Spider-Verse with Gwen (Hailee Steinfield), where they meet the Spider Society.
The animated film, with a running time of 140 minutes, was scheduled to debut on June 22 across the territory.
However, this has now been shelved and a cinema release will no longer take place.
It’s not completely clear why the decision has been made. It’s believed to be due to the fact a pro-trans flag can briefly be seen on-screen.
According to Esquire Middle East, the film “did not pass censorship tests” and will now be pulled from release.
Its predecessor did have a cinema run between 2018 and early 2019 across the Middle-East nations.
It’s not the first time Middle Eastern nations have refused to show certain films due to LGBTQ+ references.
Bros, a rom com about two gay men in Manhattan, was not released last year due to featuring gay sex scenes.
Saudi officials previously requested Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness removed “LGBTQ+ references” from the film.
Homosexuality still remains criminalised in many parts of the Middle East. In Saudi Arabia and Qatar, it can be punishable by death.