Angelina Jolie 'sad' for nations banning 'Eternals', questions 'ignorant' thought process

Eternals hit theatres across the globe on Friday. However, viewers in some countries will miss out on the adventures led by some of the top stars in the Marvel superhero venture. The film was, however, not released in some Gulf countries, reportedly over the portrayal of a same-sex kiss and a gay superhero.

One of the stars of the movie, Angelina Jolie reacted strongly to the reports. The actor shared that she felt 'sad' for the audiences who would miss out on the movie due to the theatrical ban in these countries. She added that she could not believe anyone feeling 'threatened' by the gay relationship shown in the movie.

Angelina Jolie 'sad' for countries banning Eternals, calls decision 'ignorant'

Angelina Jolie, in an interview with News.com.au, appreciated Marvel for refusing to 'cut those scenes out' and said that she was proud of them. This is amid reports that the production company refused to adhere to edit requests by authorities in these countries.

She said that she could not understand how people were living in a world where they would not see the family that one of the superheroes, Phastos, has in the movie, and the 'beauty and the love' of it.  The Salt artist expressed her displeasure by calling them 'ignorant', and asking how could anybody be 'angry' about it and not approve or appreciate it.

In the movie, Phastos, who is known for his technical expertise and skills in the creation of weapons, is depicted as the first gay superhero in the Marvel franchise. He is shown as a married man, with his husband's role played by Haaz Sleiman. The duo also shares a kiss in one of the scenes.

Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Kuwait, Bahrain, Oman to not screen Eternals

While no official reason has been issued by the nations, sources have claimed that the local censors in Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Kuwait, sought removal of scenes, which Disney/Marvel refused to make, as per The Hollywood Reporter. The film won't release in Bahrain and Oman too, as the reasons cited went beyond scenes of intimacy and also included the portrayal of Gods, as per a report by Deadline. 

Eternals also stars Gemma Chan, Salma Hayek, Richard Madden, Kumail Nanjiani, Lia McHugh, Brian Tyree Henry, Lauren Ridloff, Barry Keoghan, Don Lee, and Kit Harington, among others. The film has been directed by Chloe Zhao.  The superhero movie opened to mixed reviews, as some critics did not have the best opinions on the venture. Many netizens, however, loved the film and hit out at the critics and platforms like Rotten Tomatoes.