On the other side, the movie will release today, August 10, in Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates.
Kuwait and Lebanon have banned the screening of the Barbie movie, which has achieved a global box office success of more than $1bn in less than three weeks, citing concerns about the promotion of homosexuality and perceived contradictions with religious values.
The film has been doing well in the US and international markets, making Gerwig the first woman to surpass the $1bn benchmark as a solo director.
Lebanon’s culture minister, Mohammad Mortada, expressed that the Warner Bros. film was deemed to “promote homosexuality and gender transformation” and “go against values of faith and ethics.” The film was criticised for diminishing the significance of the family unit, according to a report by Reuters.
Subsequent to Mortada’s statements, the regulatory body responsible for film censorship has been asked to evaluate the movie and provide its recommendation. As a result, it is anticipated that the film will soon face an official ban.
A spokesperson for Kuwait’s Ministry of Information stated that the Warner Bros. production “introduces concepts and beliefs that are foreign to Kuwaiti society and public order,” as reported by the official KUNA news agency.
While the Barbie movie won’t be seen in theatres in Lebanon and Kuwait, it is scheduled for release in Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates. Following weeks of anticipation and speculation, it was recently announced that the film will hit screens on August 10. However, it remains unclear if any edits, which had been requested by censors, were implemented.
Featuring Margot Robbie and Ryan Gosling as Barbie and Ken, respectively, the film follows Mattel Inc’s iconic doll on an adventurous journey into the real world.
