‘Spider-Man: Across the Spiderverse’ has been banned in Saudi Arabia
Since its release on June 2nd, Spider-Man: Across the Spiderverse has become the ninth highest-grossing movie of 2023. Acting as the sequel to 2018’s Spider-Man: Into the Spiderverse, the animated film was highly-anticipated.
However, fans in Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates will not be able to catch the movie at their local cinema as authorities have banned it.
Announcing the film’s ban, the Twitter account Al Cinema said, “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.”
Spider-Man: Across the Spiderverse, which features Shameik Moore as the voice of Spider-Man/Miles Morales and Hailee Steinfeld as Spider-Woman/Gwen Stacy, was set for release in these regions on June 22nd.
There has been no official reason given by Saudi Arabian and UAE authorities, although many fans are speculating that the ban is due to the movie’s inclusion of LGBTQ+ themes.
In one scene, a transgender flag can be seen on the wall of Gwen’s room, which reads ‘Protect Trans Kids’. Although this cements Gwen as a trans ally, some fans believe that Gwen’s character could possibly be transgender herself. Moreover, she is often framed in lighting that aligns with the colours of the flag.
The movie’s ban echoes the prohibition of Lightyear in 2022, which was forbidden in 14 countries, including Saudi Arabia and the UAE, due to a homosexual kiss.
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