In the last decade, the worldwide market for the American film industry has grown tremendously. Because of this, major movie studios like Disney have been able to have a string of billion-dollar hits each year. However, one of the largest issues facing American movie studios are the various censors different countries have for different types of content, and Disney and Marvel Studios’ upcoming superhero flick is the latest victim. As such, Marvel’s Eternals has been banned by several Middle Eastern countries.
Eternals was scheduled to be released in the Middle East next week on November 11th. However, the movie has to be certified by each countries censors before being released in theaters. According to a report from Deadline, Eternals did not fit within the censorship requirements in Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Kuwait, Bahrain, and Oman. By not receiving a certification, Eternals is banned from playing in theaters in these countries.
Eternals may release in Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, and Oman if Disney and Marvel Studios make cuts to the movie. However, according to the report from Deadline, Disney has chosen not to make any edits. Despite not opting to cut certain scenes for these countries, Disney has reportedly sent a version of Eternals to the United Arab Emirates, Jordan, Lebanon, and Egypt that has removed all scenes of heterosexual and homosexual intimacy.
Kuwait and Qatar, on the other hand, have different issues with Eternals. Reportedly, the censors in these countries are not against any specific scenes but the movie as a whole. Historically, Kuwait and Qatar have had issues with movies that depict gods, godlike beings, and prophets. Given the story of the movie, Eternals being banned should come as no surprise.
Given its already low Rotten Tomatoes score (currently at 52%) and the film now being banned in several countries, Eternals could be a true first for Marvel Studios as both a commercial and critical failure. Only time will tell.
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