Children in Lebanon sport backpacks featuring Miles Morales, the main character of the franchise and the first Black Spider-Man, while malls across the UAE sell action figures of the movie’s superheroes. “Into the Spider-Verse,” the prequel to “Across the Spider-Verse,” had a successful run in the region when it premiered in 2018. The moment had been earlier cut from the film but was restored after Pixar employees protested Disney’s response to Florida legislation that opponents dubbed as the “Don’t Say Gay” bill. In a similar incident last year, Disney’s “Lightyear” was banned in 13 Muslim-majority nations for featuring a scene with a lesbian kiss. The company attributed the decision to Empire Entertainment, the exclusive theatrical distributor for Sony Pictures movies in the Middle East.Įmpire Entertainment, the UAE Ministry of Youth and Culture and the Saudi Ministry of Communications and Information Technology could not be reached for comment.

The federation of seven sheikhdoms once reported an end to its censorship of cinematic releases in an effort to boost its brand as a liberal hub attractive to foreigners, but it has continued to pull some movies from its theatres.Įmaar Entertainment, a state-owned entity and parent company of major UAE cinema company Reel Cinemas, confirmed to The Associated Press that it won’t be screening “Across the Spider-Verse”. The UAE, home to the futuristic city of Dubai and the world’s tallest skyscraper, has not officially banned the movie.

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