The most-talked-about Spider-Man film will now not make its way to the Saudi Arabia and UAE theaters. Sony’s latest Spider universe release Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse, which opened with $120.5 million, more than tripling the debut of its 2018 predecessor, was banned by the film authorities in the two Middle Eastern countries on June 13.
The news brings the fans a wave of disappointment and heartbreak since the first film, Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse, had a successful run at Saudi and Arab theaters from 2018 to early 2019. Those waiting to catch the mesmerizing sequel have been left in despair as authorities tweeted about the ban, stating that the sequel ‘contradicts the content controls in force in the media system.’
The whole tweet from @alcinema_sa, which is the official Twitter account of Saudi Cinema managed by the General Commission for Audiovisual Media, translates as:
‘Out of our keenness on the safety of the content shown in cinemas and our responsibility towards the viewers, we would like to point out that we will not permit or license any film that contradicts the content controls in force in the media system #المرئي_والمسموع and it’s implementing regulations unless the production companies commit to implementing the required amendments.’
The film was scheduled for release on June 22, on the occasion of Eid-Al-Adha but has failed to meet the audiovisual regulatory requirements in Saudi Arabia and UAE. While a clear statement has not been released by the authorities stating the exact reason for the ban, speculations have been coming in citing the LGBTQ themes in the movie as the reason. Previously, in June 2022, the Disney and Pixar movie Lightyear was banned for violating the country’s media content standards. The reason for the ban came out to be the same-sex kissing scene featured in the film.
Fans are outraged over the ban and have explicitly expressed their sadness on social media, as critics have lauded Spider-Man Across the Spider-Verse as a masterpiece and one of the most exhilarating cinematic experiences. The film has been a record-breaking success and has thus far collected $328,753,380 at the worldwide box office.