Disney and Pixar’s upcoming animated movie “Lightyear” will not play in theaters in Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, United Arab Emirates, Malaysia and other countries in the Middle East and Asia due to the presence of a same-sex kiss in the film, according to a Variety report.
In the “Toy Story” prequel film, there is a kiss between a gay space ranger named Alisha and her partner, the report indicates. Movies that feature LGBTQ+ characters or even references to them are oftentimes censored or outright banned in many countries in the Middle East because homosexuality is illegal in those areas.
Separately, Reuters reported Monday that the film would be banned in 14 countries, including Egypt, Lebanon and Indonesia, and is unlikely to open in the world’s largest movie market, China.
Disney had similar theatrical-release blockages for its recent films “The Eternals,” which was barred in the area for its portrayal of a same-gender couple and the Marvel Cinematic Universe’s first openly gay superhero, and “Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness,” which features the character America Chavez.
Saudi Arabia and Kuwait, as well as other countries around the Persian Gulf, have also censored the films “West Side Story” over its inclusion of a transgender character, and Pixar’s “Onward” over a reference to lesbian parents. The ban for these films applies to theatrical releases in those countries, according to the Hollywood Reporter.
Originally posted on marketwatch.com
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