According to the AP, the highly anticipated movie Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse has been mysteriously removed from cinema listings in multiple Muslim-majority countries. It is believed that the removal is due to a brief appearance of a transgender poster in one frame of the film. Although there has been no official ban announced, it is unlikely that Across the Spider-Verse will be screened in the United Arab Emirates. Sources close to the film attribute this to strict censorship regarding movies targeted at children and younger audiences.
In the United States, the superhero film had a successful debut in June, surpassing the opening weekend revenue of its Academy Award-winning predecessor, Into the Spider-Verse. Originally, it was set to release in the Middle East on June 22, coinciding with the Muslim holiday of Eid al-Adha. However, cinemas in Kuwait, the UAE, Oman, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Bahrain, Lebanon, and Egypt removed the film from their listings without any explanation. One scene in the movie features a transgender flag with the message “Protect Trans Kids” displayed in Gwen Stacy’s room, a spider superhero voiced by Hailee Steinfeld.
Emaar Entertainment, the parent company of Reel Cinemas, a major UAE cinema company, confirmed to the AP that it will not screen Across the Spider-Verse. The decision was attributed to Empire Entertainment, the exclusive theatrical distributor for Sony Pictures movies in the Middle East. Notably, a similar incident occurred last year when Disney’s Lightyear faced bans in 13 Muslim-majority nations due to a scene featuring a lesbian kiss.
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