The Barbie movie has been banned in Kuwait, meanwhile a Lebanese minister has called for the movie to be censored.
The news comes just as the film is set to premiere in the UAE, Saudi Arabia and Bahrain today, August 10, 2023.
Barbie Movie Banned In Kuwait
There had been uncertainty over whether the Barbie movie – initially delayed for an August 31 premiere – would be released in Kuwait following reports that “the Ministry of Information decided to review the current version of the movie to determine if it conforms with Kuwaiti values and laws”.
On Wednesday night, Kuwaiti state news agency KUNA announced the film had officially been banned by the Kuwaiti Ministry of Information’s committee on cinematic censorship.
KUNA cited a statement from the under secretary of the Ministry for Press and Publication, Lafy Al-Subei, stating that ban had “stemmed from keenness on protection of public and social traditions”.
“While deciding on any foreign movie, the committee usually orders censoring of the scenes that run counter to public ethics. But [if] a film carries alien concepts, message or unacceptable behaviour, the committee decides to bar the stuff in question as a whole,” he added.
Minister Calls for Movie Banned to be banned In Lebanon
The highly anticipated movie may also face a ban in Lebanon.
The country’s culture minister Mohammad Mortada announced that he requested the Lebanese Interior Ministry to “take all necessary measures to ban showing” of the movie in Lebanon.
The minister claimed it “contradicts religious values”.
Barbie Movie In The UAE, Saudi Arabia & Bahrain
The decision to ban the movie in Kuwait and Lebanon comes days after Barbie was given the green light in UAE, Saudi Arabia and Bahrain.
Warner Brothers Middle East announced that Barbie would be airing in the UAE, Saudi Arabia and Bahrain with an earlier release date of August 10, 2023.
“‘The blockbuster of the summer’ is coming to cinemas in KSA and Bahrain THIS WEEK,” they announced on the Warner Brothers ME Instagram page. “Don’t miss #BarbieTheMovie only in cinemas from August 10!”
You can book your tickets here: barbiemovie.me/ae.
