Posted on 06/13/2022 8:57:24 PM PDT by SeekAndFind
Walt Disney has been unable to obtain permission to show its new Pixar movie "Lightyear" in 14 Middle Eastern and Asian countries, a source said on Monday, and the animated film appeared unlikely to open in China, the world's largest movie market.
A "Lightyear" producer told Reuters that authorities in China had asked for cuts to the movie, which Disney declined to make, and she assumed the movie would not open there either. The animated film depicts a same-sex couple who share a brief kiss, which prompted the United Arab Emirates to ban the film.
The United Arab Emirates said the couple's relationship violated the country's media content standards. Homosexuality is considered criminal in many Middle Eastern countries.
Representatives of other countries, including Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Indonesia, Malaysia and Lebanon, did not immediately respond to requests for comment on why they would not allow the film to be exhibited.
"Lightyear" is a prequel to Pixar's acclaimed "Toy Story" franchise. Chris Evans voices the lead character, Buzz Lightyear, a legendary space ranger.
In the film, Buzz's close friend is a female space ranger who marries another woman. A scene showing milestones in the couple's relationship includes a brief kiss.
Disney has not received an answer from Chinese authorities on whether they would allow the film in cinemas, "Lightyear" producer Galyn Susman said. But she said filmmakers would not make changes to the movie. China has rejected other on-screen depictions of homosexuality in the past.
"We're not going to cut out anything, especially something as important as the loving and inspirational relationship that shows Buzz what he's missing by the choices that he's making, so that's not getting cut," Susman told Reuters at the movie's red-carpet premiere in London.
China is not a "make or break" market for Pixar, one theater industry source said. It contributed a mere 3 percent to the global box office for "Toy Story 4," which grossed more than $1 billion in worldwide ticket sales in 2019, according to Comscore.
Any objections to "Lightyear" over LGBTQ issues were "frustrating," Evans said.
"It's great that we are a part of something that's making steps forward in the social inclusion capacity, but it's frustrating that there are still places that aren't where they should be," Evans said.
"Lightyear" is set to debut in theaters in the United States and Canada on Friday.
In May, Disney refused requests to cut same-sex references in Marvel movie "Doctor Strange and the Multiverse of Madness." Saudi Arabia and a handful of other Middle Eastern countries did not show the film. (Reuters)
They forgot it’s a toy.
He was crazy in the first one thinking he was real.
Disney takes a great character and huge fanbase and ruin it just like their other shows like Star Wars, Marvel films and kids tv shows and for what?, for some tiny tiny percentage of freaks who want to have sex with children and act out their freakish behavior in public.
I used to be a big Pixar fan all the way back from its first works, Red’s Dream and Luxo Junior. Their short films had heart and, without speaking any dialogue, were touching and could be universally enjoyed. Once they went woke after Up, I stopped seeing their films — with the exception of the short film Bao.
Is this a white guy lecturing non-white countries on what their values "should" be? Yikes...
They replaced Tim Allen as Buzz.
Three guesses why.
Note to Hollyweird: Thanks for continuing to save me money.
He isn’t.
My grands won’t see this either.
They’re not going to try to corrupt the morals of children in muzzy countries. They don’t want to get thrown off tall buildings.
So they will go ahead and corrupt American kids.
If it doesn’t play in China, that’ll really kill the worldwide gross.
Banned in OUR house too. Sad to see towel heads have better values than the West.
I don’t think he is. Someone else is playing lightyear.
Maybe rename this “Light in the Loafers.”
Why is this in the film at all? To appease the gay freaks and groom children here in the US, Disney is throwing away hundreds of millions of dollars.
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