Fourteen Middle Eastern and Asian countries will not show Walt Disney Co's (DIS.N) new Pixar movie Lightyear when it hits theatres this week, a source familiar with the matter said on Monday (local time).
The United Arab Emirates (UAE) said it banned the film as the movie includes a same-sex relationship and violated the country's media content standards. Homosexuality is considered criminal in many Middle Eastern countries.
Representatives of other countries, including Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Indonesia, Malaysia and Lebanon, did not immediately respond to requests for comment on why they would not allow the film to be exhibited.
Lightyear is a prequel to Pixar's acclaimed Toy Story franchise. Chris Evans voices the lead character, Buzz Lightyear, a legendary space ranger.
In the film, Buzz's close friend and female space ranger Alisha Hawthorne, voiced by Uzo Aduba, marries another woman. A scene showing milestones in the couple's relationship includes a brief kiss.
Lightyear producer Galyn Susman said she assumed the movie would not be shown in China either, though Disney has not yet received an official answer from authorities there. China has rejected other onscreen depictions of homosexuality in the past.
"We're not going to cut out anything, especially something as important as the loving and inspirational relationship that shows Buzz what he's missing by the choices that he's making, so that's not getting cut," Susman told Reuters at the movie's red-carpet premiere in London.
Any objections to Lightyear over LGBTQ+ issues were "frustrating", Evans said.
"It's great that we are a part of something that's making steps forward in the social inclusion capacity, but it's frustrating that there are still places that aren't where they should be," he added.
Walt Disney-Pixar's feature film would not be licensed for screening in the UAE as it violated the nation's media content standard, the Ministry of Youth and Culture's media regulatory office wrote on Twitter on Monday (local time).
Media Regulatory Office executive director Rashid Khalfan Al Nuaimi later told Reuters the film was banned due to the inclusion of "homosexual" characters in several scenes.
A Disney (DIS.N) representative did not immediately respond to emailed Reuters questions on the ban, which drew praise from some on social media in the country.
Like many other Middle East and Muslim nations, same-sex relationships are criminalised in the UAE, a Gulf country of about 10 million people where most of the population are foreigners. Some on social media said depicting same-sex relationships was against the religion and culture of the UAE while others said children should not be exposed to such imagery.
Ahead of the decision on Monday, an Arabic hashtag calling for the film not to be shown in the UAE was trending on Twitter.
Films featuring same-sex relationships have in the past been banned by regulators in Muslim-majority nations, while others with profanity or illicit drug use are sometimes censored.
The UAE's media regulatory office in December had announced that international versions of films would be shown in the country.
According to reports, Lightyear has also been pulled from release in Saudi Arabia and Kuwait due to the kiss between two female characters.
Lightyear is set to debut in theatres in the United States and Canada on Friday (local time).
In May, Disney refused requests to cut same-sex references in Marvel movie Doctor Strange and the Multiverse of Madness. Saudi Arabia and a handful of other Middle Eastern countries did not show the film.
Reuters / Newshub.
