NEWS: Marvel's 'Eternals' Pulled from Release in Several Middle Eastern Countries

Marvel is currently in the middle of its phase 4 of the Marvel Cinematic Universe.

©Disney/Marvel

The phase includes both TV series, like WandaVision, The Falcon and the Winter Soldier, and Loki, and movies, such as Black Widow and Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings. The next installment of phase 4 is Marvel’s Eternals, which is set to premiere tomorrow, November 5th, in the United States. However, the film has been pulled from release in a few other countries.

Marvel’s Eternals will not be shown in movie theaters in Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, or Qatar, according to The Hollywood Reporter.

Eternals

The movie was set to be released in the region on November 11th. According to The Hollywood Reporter, Eternals was met with a series of edit requests by the local censors, and Disney was not willing to make the edits.

©Disney

The Hollywood Reporter says sources suggest the decision was likely made over the inclusion of a same-sex couple in the film and the Marvel Cinematic Universe’s first gay superhero. One scene in the movie shows a same sex couple share a kiss.

©Marvel Studios

The Marvel film was removed from websites in each of the aforementioned countries, but it is still listed as coming soon to the United Arab Emirates.

Eternals Sneak Peek Screening

Homosexuality is still illegal across the Persian Gulf, with films that have anything to do with LGBTQ issues regularly being pulled from release. Last year, Pixar’s Onward was banned in Oman, Kuwait, Qatar, and Saudi Arabia over one line in the movie that referenced a lesbian relationship.

Eternals is directed by Academy Award winner Chloé Zhao and has an all-star cast including Angelina Jolie, Kit Harington, Gemma Chan, Kumail Nanjiani, Salma Hayek, and Richard Madden, just to name a few. It is set to premiere in the United States tomorrow, November 5th.