What works for one country’s people doesn’t always work around the world. More specifically, what works for one country’s government doesn’t always work for governments around the world. Some areas of the globe are pretty restrictive in what their governments want the people to see or hear. When you have a country like the United States — which prides itself on the concept of freedom — creating the best films available, there’s more than a solid chance the art will ruffle feathers elsewhere.
There’s also the issue with the supernatural. Some countries, particularly China, are very hesitant to show anything that toys with history or the concept of the otherworldly afterlife. This really narrows down what U.S. films can be shown over there, and the only people it hurts are overseas cinephiles being deprived of great works just because a government thinks a scene could be problematic down the line.
10Back to the Future Was Banned in China
China is known to ban moves based solely on subject matter. The movie itself can be about as far from offensive as one can get but still get stonewalled in the country. Take Robert Zemeckis’Back to the Future, which is banned just because it features time travel.
According toYahoo! News, China’s State Administration for Radio, Film & Television had this to say about the film: “The producers and writers are treating the serious history in a frivolous way, which should by no means be encouraged anymore.“Back to the Futureis a rather innocuous film, but it certainly looks at history as a malleable concept. Apparently, that’s an immediate no-go in China.
9The Interview Was Banned in North Korea
Any movie involving Kim Jong Un is going to be met with political pushback. Any movie involving Kim Jong Un getting assassinated via missile as Katy Perry plays in the background is going to face it to the max. AndThe Interviewabsolutely did that.
The Wrapreported that the Seth Rogen-James Franco political comedy caused a threat credible enough to warrant pulling the film from theatrical distribution even in the United States. This was well-covered on U.S. news stations at the time, and thankfully a movie hasn’t caused such a worldwide stir since. Even still, the debate will always rage in regard to whether the U.S. bending to terrorism over a movie was the right call because it set a precedent that North Korea or any other country can seek to exploit should art rub them the wrong way.
8Zoolander Was Banned in Malaysia
Malaysian film lovers have been deprived of many potential favorites.The Exorcist,Saturday Night Fever,Scarface,Platoon,Pulp Fiction,Babe(because the film respects pigs),The Wolf of Wall Street, andThe Disaster Artisthave all been banned in the country Malaysia, and so too is Ben Stiller’sZoolander.
But, whereas the country’s reasoning forBabecould cause people to scratch their heads, the reasoning for Stiller’s film is pretty logical. For one, in a general sense, Malaysia is not shown in a positive light. Two, a big thread throughout the film is a plot to assassinate the country’s prime minister. But the irony is the fact that the Malaysian Prime Minister is infinitely less a target than chauvinistic, self-centered, ignorant male models.
7Ghostbusters Was Banned in China
China has an issue showing ghosts on the big screen, so even comedic skewing works likeGhostbustersare taboo. This means that not only was Paul Feig’s 2016 attempted reboot banned from being shown in the country, but the original Ivan Reitman masterpiece, as well.
The reasoning behind the decision tracks back decades. Specifically, because China’s official censorship guidelines prohibit art that “promotes cults or superstition” in any form. It’s a stretch to callGhostbustersa promoter of the occult, but apparently even just featuring a specter is enough to be considered a statement about their real-world existence.
6Borat is Banned Was Kazakhstan and Russia
To be fair,Borat!was always going to be banned in Kazakhstan. No 90-minute movie can eviscerate a country like that throughout its entire runtime and still be accepted with open arms universally. And that’s exactly what happened, asBorat!is forever forbidden from being shown on screen for profit in the glorious nation of Kazakhstan.
But it’s not just Kazakhstan where the film hit a roadblock or two. The larger country of Russia also forbade the film’s release, primarily due to its affiliation with Kazakhstan. To be fair, there’s a lot inBorat!that probably does make it worthy of pushback, but at least it’s funny as can be. The bigger question mark hovered overBorat: Subsequent Moviefilm, as that sequel was released in a volatile country during its most volatile time in over a century. AndSubsequent Moviefilm’s lens was aimed squarely at that volatility.
5Beauty and the Beast Was Banned in Malaysia and Kuwait
Arguably the most successful of Disney’s run of live-action remakes,Beauty and the Beastmade a major splash on U.S. screens. But, it was absolutely forbidden from playing even once in either Malaysia or Kuwait. And the reasoning is about as antiquated as it can get.
The Wrap reported that the live-action Disney film (which has many lighthearted comedic moments) is banned in these countries for a single shot of two men kissing. But it wasn’t only overseas that the film generated controversy as the scene ruffled feathers in the United States as well. Shocking, considering the film was released in 2017.
4Wonder Woman Was Banned in Lebanon
Patty Jenkins’Wonder Womanmay not strictly be a comedy, but it certainly has its funny moments, particularly as Diana Prince is learning the ways of modern society. The movie was also a massive hit, and not just in the United States. But it didn’t play in Lebanon, and the reason is entirely political. Too bad for Lebanese DC fans.
The reason behindWonder Woman’s Lebanese ban is an interesting one. According to The Wrap, the film isn’t allowed to be shown because Gadot was a soldier in the Israeli Army. Because Israel and Lebanon are adversaries, there’s a long-standing law that forbids Israeli products in the country.
3You Don’t Mess with the Zohan Was Banned in Egypt, Iran, and Lebanon
Adam Sandler has made a ton of movies, and just about every one of them has an offensive moment disguised as lighthearted humor (to be fair, most of Sandler’s best came from the ’90s, when people were in the process of growing towards acceptance). EvenJack and Jillcould be cited as offensive given the fact it eliminates brain cells like it’s holding a laser gun aimed at the cerebellum.
But it wasYou Don’t Mess with the Zohanthat received the most overseas pushback. And, yet again, the reasoning was entirely political.You Don’t Mess with the Zohanwas banned in every Arab country, which thankfully didn’t do much to diminish its box office prowess (it did well in the States). But the reasoning was logical, asYou Don’t Mess with the Zohanis legitimately a xenophobic film. And the fact that American audiences were left scratching their heads more than busting their guts was a tell that not only had Sandler’s brand of humor diminished in terms of saleability, but it had also become overtly problematic, as well.
2The Simpsons Movie Was Banned in Myanmar
Countries have had strange reasons for banning films, but nothing ever has or ever will top the reasoningThe Simpsons Moviewasn’t shown in Myanmar. Specifically, the country has banned art that favors the colors yellow and red. If the Simpsons are anything, they’re yellow as can be.
Essentially,The Simpsons Movienever had a chance of being shown in Myanmar. Sad, consideringSimpsonsfans exist the world over and those in Myanmar didn’t get the chance to buy a ticket, and not because of anything wrong or offensive about the work itself. Like others on this list,The Simpsons Movieis rather innocuous (it even comes equipped with a Tom Hanks cameo), leading viewers to wonder why it would receive more pushback overseas than something like Trey Parker and Matt Stone’sSouth Park: Bigger, Longer & Uncut(not that that film was met with open arms in the States).
1Zac and Miri Make a Porno Was Banned in…Utah
Okay, so Kevin Smith’sZac and Miri Make a Pornowasn’t bannedoverseas, but it was banned. Specifically, it was forbidden from showing on screens in any Megaplex Theaters location, a chain exclusive to Utah.
On a more macro scale, the film’s poster was also effectively banned from just about every U.S. theater. And even when it wasn’t the word “Porno” would be practically illegible. Admittedly, the movie does have its raunchy moments. It would have been seen as an outright failure if it didn’t. But there are raunchier movies, and they almost certainly played on Megaplex screens, but neitherGood BoysnorSuperbadfeatured the word “Porno” in the title. And in the U.S., that word is viewed as more dangerous than an AR-15.
