Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse over a transgender flag.The Gulf nation was one of many countries in the region, including Saudi Arabia, to remove the animated Sony film from its planned theatrical release.
Other countries to no longer advertise the film include Qatar, Kuwait, Oman and Bahrain.The follow-up to 2018's Oscar winning Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse, the film was set to open in the UAE on June 22 during the Eid Al-Adha holiday, according to local media.It reportedly didn't pass censorship laws because of a transgender flag that briefly appeared in one scene.
The film had been advertised as "coming soon" to one of the country's biggest cinema chains, Vox, as recently as Sunday, but movie fans noticed it then no longer appeared on its social media or website.Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse introduces a range of new Spider-People, including Gwen Stacy voiced by Hailee Steinfeld.Eagle-eyed fans noticed Spider-Gwen has a sign in her room that reads "protect trans kids," in a blink and you'll miss it moment.
It isn't confirmed if her character is transgender, but the sign could be there in solidarity of the transgender community.LGBTQ activities are illegal in the UAE and transgenderism is banned there.