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Muslim-Majority Country Bans ‘Thor’ And ‘Lightyear’ Over LGBTQ Themes

   DailyWire.com
LONDON, ENGLAND - JUNE 13: Chris Evans attends the UK Premiere of Disney Pixars' "Lightyear" on June 13, 2022 in London, England. (Photo by Gareth Cattermole/Getty Images for Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures UK)
Gareth Cattermole/Getty Images for Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures UK

Malaysian authorities have announced that, after recently banning the theatrical releases of Marvel’sThor: Love and Thunder” and Pixar’s “Lightyear,” the Muslim-majority nation will ban additional films over LGBTQ themes and storylines.

Deputy Communications and Multimedia Minister Zahidi Zainul Abidin noted that both films had initially been submitted — by parent company Disney — to the nation’s Film Censorship Board (LPF). The LPF had reportedly asked for several cuts, presumably altering or removing scenes such as the same-sex kiss in “Lightyear,” but Disney had declined to accommodate their requests.

“Recently there was a film that did not pass censorship, that is the new ‘Thor’ film,” Abidin explained. “[The movie] touched on LGBT but we see right now there are many films with LGBT elements that slip past the censorship.”

Malaysia, he confirmed, has committed to limiting public access to gay culture whenever possible — and lamented the fact that, in order to bypass censors, the LGBTQ content in film and streaming content had become more subtle over time. “I am frustrated because the outside world was the one promoting LGBT,” he said, adding that the government was keeping a close eye on streaming content and social media and “would take severe action against individuals found promoting such elements.”

Zahidi also noted that while the government could keep a tight rein on broadcast television and domestic theatrical releases, there was little they could do to prevent access to such content via streaming platforms.

“We cannot control overseas platforms that are easily reached online — but activities in the country, we have no issues. We have always been stern and committed,” he explained, saying that current law did not allow for censorship of streaming content. “In addition, OTT services like Netflix are not like public broadcast services or private institutions in the country that fall under existing laws involving licensing and censorship in the country.”

Pixar’s “Lightyear” was also banned from release in several other Muslim-majority nations over the lesbian kiss. According to a report from Variety, Pixar never even attempted to get the film past the censors in Saudi Arabia, knowing that it would never pass. It was initially green-lighted by the United Arab Emirates (UAE), where censorship laws have recently begun to relax slightly, but a last minute reversal kept the film out of theaters there as well.

(Disclosure: The Daily Wire has announced plans for kids entertainment content.)

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