SPIDER-MAN: ACROSS THE SPIDER-VERSE CENSORED IN EGYPT, UAE

Mon 19 June 2023:

The film ‘Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse’ will no longer be released in Egypt after it failed to pass censorship requirements in the UAE and Saudi Arabia.

The ban comes ahead of the film’s scheduled release on 21 June.

Several news outlets have reported that the film was banned because of a banner which reads, “Protect Trans Kids.”

رسمياً

لن يتم عرض فيلم Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse في السعودية

وذلك بسبب وجود مشهد لوحة مكتوب عليها( احموا الاطفال المتحولين جنسياً) .#SpiderManAcrosstheSpiderVerse pic.twitter.com/u6aVhSTPi9

— ساينفيلدي (@seinfellldy) June 11, 2023

Last year, Bahrain, Egypt, Indonesia, Iraq, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Malaysia, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Palestine and the UAE refused to screen Disney’s ‘Lightyear’ after two women kissed in it.

Egypt has cancelled some high-profile events in recent weeks, causing an outpouring of criticism for its far-reaching censorship.

In February, Egypt cancelled the debut show of US comedian Kevin Hart, citing logistical issues. However, online, a hashtag was trending, calling for Hart’s show to be cancelled after he was accused of “Afrocentrism” and of “distorting history” after he allegedly said that black Africans were once kings of Egypt.

In April, an Egyptian lawyer tried to have Netflix shut down in Egypt after it released a trailer showing Queen Cleopatra as a black woman.

Earlier this month, Egypt banned Dutch archaeologists from the Saqqara burial ground near Cairo after an exhibition in Leiden portrayed black singers, performers and musicians as the rulers of ancient Egypt.

Censorship is widespread in Egypt, and part of daily life for Egyptian journalists who live under constant surveillance and are targeted especially if they are critical of the government.

Egypt is ranked 166 out of 180 countries in the Reporters without Borders annual press freedom index.