A transgender character? Spider-Man is removed from cinema lists in Muslim-majority countries

The new Spider-Man film has been unexpectedly pulled from cinema listings in more than 12 Muslim-majority countries.

"Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse" was removed without explanation, but the transgender poster in one of the scenes of the cartoon has caused controversy.

The film was in theaters in Kuwait, the United Arab Emirates, Oman, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Bahrain, Lebanon and Egypt before it was suddenly and quietly pulled.

The film, a sequel to the 2018 Oscar winner Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse, was released earlier this month in the US.

On Saudi Cinema's official Twitter page, a statement with a poster of the film attached said the organization will not approve any film that contravenes national media content regulations and "whose production companies do not commit to implementing changes to required".

The film has sparked debate online over whether the character Gwen Stacy is trans, and a scene in a trailer shows a sign in the background reading "protect trans kids".

Arab countries may have felt offended by this, as they, guided by Islamic law or Sharia, often regard homosexuality and transgender identity as sinful and contrary to their religious beliefs and social norms.

The film was scheduled to be released in the Middle East on June 22, ahead of the Muslim holiday of Eid al-Adha. The United Arab Emirates has not officially banned the film.

Emaar Entertainment, a state-owned entity and the parent company of major UAE cinema company Reel Cinemas, confirmed to The Associated Press that it will not screen the film.

The company attributed the decision to Empire Entertainment, the exclusive theatrical distributor for Sony Pictures films in the Middle East.

A similar case happened last year, where Disney's Lightyear was banned in 13 Muslim-majority countries for featuring a lesbian kiss scene.

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