7 Movies Banned Around The World For The Most Outrageous Reasons
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Movies have the power to unite nations through on-screen storytelling, entertaining and inspiring viewers around the world. However, sometimes countries can deprive their people of the enjoyment of cinema for the most ridiculous of reasons.
From political sensitivities to cultural taboos, here are seven movies that have been banned throughout the world.
1. Barbie ( 2023)
Greta Gerwig's fantasy comedy hasn't even been on the big screen for a month yet, but it's already got banned. Barbieland is now prohibited in Vietnam because of a scene in which a map is shown that includes the nine-dash line, which is used by China to assert its territorial claims in the South China Sea, particularly the Paracel Islands.
2. Fifty Shades of Grey (2015)
Fifty Shades of Grey is one of those controversial book-to-film adaptations that got everyone talking. Countries such as Indonesia, Zimbabwe, Papua New Guinea, Kenya, and Cambodia banned the film because of the explicit romance between Anastasia Steele and Christian Grey and their non-stop sexual encounters.
Also, The United Arab Emirates considered a shorter version of the film, but the need for extensive cuts led the studio to pull the film entirely.
3. Zoolander (2001)
An early 2000s comedy faced bans for a plot involving attempting to assassinate the Malaysian Prime Minister. Malaysia and Singapore banned the film, with the latter waiting until 2006 so as not to offend its neighboring country.
In the Asian release, the different versions of the film were shown around the world, with Malaysia replaced by Micronesia to avoid censorship issues.
4. Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse (2023)
The story of Miles Morales faced bans in the United Arab Emirates, Egypt, and Lebanon over a single animated frame showing a trans flag saying "protect trans kids" hanging in Gwen's room.
The countries' strict guidelines for children's films and the need to be in line with local customs and values led to one of the most ridiculous bans in cinema history.
5. The Texas Chainsaw Massacre (1974)
Tobe Hooper's iconic slasher film was deemed to be too gruesome for many countries. Following a group of friends stranded in Texas who are hunted by Leatherface and his cannibalistic family, the film caused an uproar due to its violence.
Though temporarily banned in several countries, including Germany, Norway, and Singapore, the movie still remains a classic in the horror genre.
6. Wonder Woman (2017)
Due to the fact that Gal Gadot, aka Wonder Woman, is Israeli and served in the Israeli Defense Forces, Patty Jenkins' superhero film was banned in Tunisia and Lebanon. Lebanon's anti-Israel boycott law, which is sporadically enforced, played a role in this decision, even though other films starring Gadot, such as Fast & Furious 6, have not been banned there.
7. A Clockwork Orange (1971)
Stanley Kubrick's most iconic dystopian masterpiece, about a teenage criminal imprisoned for heinous acts, was widely controversial for its depiction of violence and its disturbing portrayal of societal decay. Its explicit content led to bans in Ireland, Brazil, South Africa, Singapore, and even the United Kingdom — after receiving death threats, Kubrick withdrew the film from British cinemas, and it remained scarce until the director's death in 1999.