Sony’s biggest hit of the summer, Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse, will not be released in the UAE, Deadline has confirmed. The photo was set to be released on June 22 in the Gulf region.
Apparently, the point of contention is about Gwen Stacy, and whether the character is trans. One of the frames that worries UAE censors is a “protect trans lives” poster in the background of a scene. We understand that Sony did not expect a release of it Spider string in the UAE given their rigorous censorship process for children’s films.
Reuters, which first broke the story, reports that Vox Cinemas has pulled the film without explanation. Also, the Media Council of the United Arab Emirates is said to be against the film, saying it is against the values of the United Arab Emirates.
Last summer, Disney/Pixar’s Light year it was not released in such Middle Eastern markets as Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, Egypt, Kuwait, Oman, and Qatar, except for Malaysia and Indonesia for the film’s LGBTQ content. The picture did not receive distribution certificates in these markets.
