Muslim-majority countries pull new Spider-Man movie over trans flag: Report
Luke Gentile
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Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse is swinging out of theaters in several Muslim-majority nations after those countries pulled the film due to its brief inclusion of a transgender flag.
The latest Spider-Man flick has been pushed by Middle East distributor Empire Entertainment but was quickly removed from listings across myriad countries, according to a report.
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A reason for the seemingly unexplained cancellations has not been confirmed, but it is widely believed that a snapshot moment in the film featuring an apparent transgender flag has offended the predominantly Muslim nations.
During a scene in the room of Gwen Stacy, a superhero featured in the film, a flag can reportedly be seen with the message “Protect Trans Kids.”
No announcements of explicit bans related to the Sony Pictures film have been confirmed.
However, there are signs that the film will not hit screens in countries such as United Arab Emirates due to stringent censorship laws related to young audiences, the report noted.
Similarly, the Twitter account for Saudi Cinema released a statement that no film contradicting its nation’s media regulations will be approved, nor will any whose “production companies do not commit to implementing the required amendments.”
Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse tells the story of Miles Morales and hit domestic theaters at the start of the month.
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Showings in the Middle East were slated to open June 22, before the commencement of Eid al Adha.
Nations where the film was pulled from cinema programs include the UAE, Oman, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Qatar, Bahrain, Lebanon, and Egypt, according to the report.