'Eternals' to not release in Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Kuwait, Bahrain and Oman; Here's why

Marvel Cinematic Universe's star-studded action-adventure flick Eternals is enjoying a theatrical release across the USA as well as India on November 5. With Diwali, one of the biggest festivals of India, coinciding with the release, netizens are expected to flock to the theatres to enjoy the super-gods films featuring some of the biggest stars of Hollywood. However, it looks like the MCU venture will be missing out on major markets in the Middle East as some countries have decided not to release the movie at the box office. 

Why did Eternals get banned in some Middle East countries?

According to a report from Deadline, the Disney/Marvel movie Eternals will not be hitting the big screens in some Middle Eastern countries namely Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Kuwait, Bahrain and Oman. Although the film was scheduled to be released on November 11, neither the studio nor the local territories have officially provided a reason for cancelling the release. The outlet also releases a set of factors that could have contributed to the theatrical ban of Eternals in these Middle East countries. 

As per the report, censors sought further cuts beyond any scenes of intimacy in Saudi Arabia, Bahrain and Oman. However, Disney opted not to make the dits resulting in distribution certificates not being issued. The Angelina Jolie and Salma Hayek starrer was also blocked in Kuwait and Qatar. The outlet reported that the issue may not be limited to the same-sex kiss shown in the film but also the history of these countries having problems with the depiction of gods and prophets. 

Meanwhile, United Arab Emirates, Jordan, Lebanon and Egypt will enjoy the movie without the scenes of intimacy seeing as this is a normal practice for such markets. 

More on Eternals

Directed by Chloé Zhao, the film also features Gemma Chan as Sersi, Richard Madden as Ikaris, Salma Hayek as Ajak, Kumail Nanjiani as Kingo, Angelina Jolie as Thena, Kit Harington as Dane Whitman, Lauren Ridloff as Makkari, and Barry Keoghan as Druig. Marvel's Eternals is all set to release in theatres on November 5 in the US and in India.

Image: Instagram/@MarvelStudios