If you were hoping to watch Spider-Man: Across The Spider-Verse in The United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia, you’re not in luck.
The film, starring Shameik Moore and Hailee Steinfeld has reportedly been banned from release across the nation due to claims that it hasn’t passed the region’s requirements to be shown in public cinemas.
Fans have been speculating as to why the ban has come into effect, with one pointing out that it might be down to the appearance of a trans pride flag, which is seen, for a split second, hanging on a bedroom wall.
Those who had pre-booked tickets to watch the movie in the region were simply told by vendors that the film is not being released in the UAE and that refunds would be issued.
Photographer: Sony Pictures Animation
Provider: Sony Pictures(Credits: Sony Pictures Animation)
Venting their frustrations on a Reddit thread, one fan fumed: ‘THIS SUCKS! I’ve never missed a movie with Spider-Man in it since 2012.
‘I was badly waiting for this one. This ban ends my streak 🙁 THIS A CANON EVENT?!’
Echoing a similar sentiment, another said: ‘I am devastated, I was really looking forward to seeing the movie.’
Taking to Twitter, a third added: ‘The UAE literally banned the new Spider-Man movie cause a trans flag was in it for literally 3 seconds. Like just delete the scene and move on. I was so excited to watch it too.’
Spider-Man: Across The Spider-Verse isn’t the only film that has been banned in UAE in recent years.
In 2022, Toy Story spin-off Lightyear, which features a same-sex kiss, was not allowed to be shown in public cinemas due to it violating the country’s media content standards.
A year before that, Pixar’s Onward, a 2020 American computer-animated urban fantasy adventure film, was reportedly banned by several Middle Eastern countries because of a reference to lesbian parents.
Metro.co.uk has contacted Abu Dhabi’s media office for comment.
Got a story?
If you’ve got a celebrity story, video or pictures get in touch with the Metro.co.uk entertainment team by emailing us [email protected], calling 020 3615 2145 or by visiting our Submit Stuff page – we’d love to hear from you.
For all the latest Entertainment News Click Here
For the latest news and updates, follow us on Google News.
