Entitled Thor: Love and Thunder, the Marvel blockbuster blasted the North American box office, but, like other recent American blockbusters, sparked unease and even censorship in some countries due to LGBTQ references.
The film contains more or less explicit allusions to homosexuality, Valkyrie, the character played by Tessa Thompson clearly showing feelings for another woman.
In Bahrain, the Ministry of Information has “decided to stop the projection of a film shown in cinemas for the sake of preserving the virtuous values of society”, according to a statement released Thursday evening. He did not specify the title of the film in question, but the distribution of Thor was actually interrupted.
Kuwait has also banned it, according to local press. This quotes the Ministry of Information, which explains its decision by the presence of “scenes with homosexual characters”.
In Egypt, the press – even of State – had made the promotion of film at the beginning of the month. But a day after its release, it was officially banned due to the presence of gay characters.
In contrast, Thor is still being screened in the United Arab Emirates, an equally conservative Gulf country that had banned the animated film from Pixar Studios Buzz Lightningcontaining a kiss scene between two women.
In April, Saudi Arabia asked Disney to remove “LGBTQ references” to marvel movie, Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madnessin order to authorize its projection in the rooms of the ultraconservative kingdom.
Gender and sexual freedom issues are still very taboo in many Arab countries, especially the Gulf monarchies.