Scream 6 ‘banned in Lebanon’ over inclusion of LGBTQ+ characters
Scream 6 has reportedly been banned from being shown in Lebanon’s cinemas due to its inclusion of openly LGBTQ+ characters. The film, which is the sixth instalment in the hugely popular slasher franchise, is said to have had its release delayed from 10 March to 13 April in the region.
It will now, however, not be shown at all in Lebanon after Paramount refused to censor anything in the movie, Beirut.com reported. “Saw ‘Brokeback Mountain’ on the big screen in Lebanon back in 2006,” said Lebanon-based film critic Anis Tabet on Twitter. “Today, #Scream6 (a solid sequel by the way) has been banned in Lebanon because of LGBT characters.” Scream 6 features openly queer couple Mindy Meeks-Martin (Jasmin Savoy Brown) and Anika Kayoko (Devyn Nekoda) who share a brief kiss in the film. READ MORE: Scream 6: Jasmin Savoy Brown on “satisfying” new film and making history Beyond that, LGBTQ+ representation and/or storylines are virtually non-existent.
The latest Scream film follows the four survivors of the fifth instalment as they move to New York City to go to university.
Fan favourites Gale Weathers (Courteney Cox) and Kirby Reed (Hayden Panettiere) also appear, with Cox also credited as an executive producer. READ MORE: Scream: All 6 iconic slashers ranked from least to most camp It marked Panettiere’s first appearance since Scream 4, released in 2011, appeared to show her death – something Scream 5 corrected with a subtle Easter egg 11 years later.
