Fri, 29 March 2024
The Daily Ittefaq

Saudi Arabia bans ‘Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness’

Update : 23 Apr 2022, 15:37

Marvel’s much-awaited Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness has been banned in Saudi Arabia, Kuwait and Qatar due to its inclusion of a gay character.

The film is directed by Sam Raimi and stars Benedict Cumberbatch as the titular character and it also features the America Chavez, played by Xochitl Gomez, whose character in the movie is reportedly gay, true to how she is portrayed in the Marvel comics. The reason is largely credited to homosexuality being banned in the Gulf, which is why films with LGBTQ themes or issues often fail to pass censorship.

The “Doctor Strange” sequel, which will go on release in the U.S. on May 6, was initially slated for release in the Saudi Arabia and other Gulf countries on May 5.

While advance tickets are no longer available on the websites of cinemas in Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, and Qatar. But they are available in the United Arab Emirates, suggesting that it will be distributed there.

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