The United Arab Emirates (UAE) has garnered attention as it announced that Sony’s highly anticipated film, “Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse”, would not be screened in the country. Vox Cinemas, a subsidiary of Majid Al Futtaim, made the announcement without providing any explanation, leaving movie enthusiasts and online communities engaged in a heated debate about the animated sequel’s treatment of transgender themes. The film, which serves as a follow-up to the Oscar-winning “Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse” released in 2018, hit theaters in the United States on June 2 but faced unexpected obstacles in its scheduled June 22 release in the Gulf region.
The decision to withhold the film’s release in the UAE has generated intrigue, as major cinema chains across Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Kuwait, Oman, and Bahrain also exclude “Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse” from their “coming soon” sections on their websites. Vox, Novo, and Reel cinemas are among the prominent chains that do not feature the movie on their platforms.
The animated film’s portrayal of transgender characters, particularly the suggestion that the character Gwen Stacy may be transgender, has ignited discussions online. A scene in the movie trailer featuring a sign that reads “protect trans kids” has added fuel to the controversy. However, it remains uncertain if these factors were the direct cause behind the film’s withdrawal from screening.
In the Middle East, where adherence to conservative social norms is prevalent, deviations from traditional sexual norms are often regarded as taboo and, in some instances, even considered criminal offenses. Individuals expressing their support for the UAE’s decision argue that it aligns with their religious beliefs, emphasizing that only male and female genders exist. Others perceive the film’s withdrawal as a sovereign decision protecting the values and opinions of the viewers.
Vox Cinemas, which operates across the Gulf region, previously announced that tickets for the film were available ahead of its release. However, as of now, the movie’s tickets are not listed for purchase on Vox’s websites across Gulf countries. Requests for comments from government bodies in the UAE, Saudi Arabia, and Qatar have not been met with immediate responses, leaving the precise rationale behind the film’s non-release undisclosed. Kuwait’s information ministry confirmed that they have not yet received the film for consideration.
This incident echoes a similar ban in June 2022 when the UAE prohibited the screening of Walt Disney-Pixar’s animated feature film “Lightyear” due to its depiction of characters in a same-sex relationship. The youth and culture ministry asserted that the film violated the nation’s media content standards, further underlining the strict enforcement of social norms in the region.
The decision to withhold the release of “Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse” in the UAE has sparked a wider conversation about artistic expression, freedom of speech, and societal values in relation to the LGBTQ+ community. As the debate continues, the future fate of the film’s release in the Gulf region remains uncertain, leaving fans and advocates eagerly awaiting updates on this contentious matter.