Angelina Jolie Slams The Reported Middle Eastern Ban On “Eternals”
Do you live in Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, or Qatar, and were hoping to catch a screening of Eternals any time soon? Don’t count on it and it’s because of gay stuff. Angelina Jolie, who plays Thena, recently spoke about the reported ban on Eternals, and she’s calling out Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, and Qatar’s bullshit when it comes to homophobic censorship.
This comes after a report published yesterday by The Hollywood Reporter that claimed Eternals wouldn’t be dropping in theaters in Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, and Qatar on November 11th as planned, because Disney was not willing to make several very specific changes to the film before some audiences in the Middle East saw it. One scene, in particular, features Brian Tyree Henry’s character Phastos, kissing his on-screen husband Ben (Haaz Sleiman). Brian Tyree Henry plays the first openly gay superhero in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Phastos kissing his husband sounds pretty tame, but it’s GAY!!!!!, and that’s a huge no-no in some countries, like Saudi Arabia. via THR:
Sources suggest the decision was likely made over the inclusion of a same-sex couple in the film and the MCU’s first gay superhero. In one scene, the character, Phastos, and his on-screen husband, Ben, share a passionate kiss.
Homosexuality is still officially illegal across the Gulf, and films containing anything related to LGBTQ issues are frequently pulled from release. Last year, the Pixar title Onward was banned across Kuwait, Oman, Qatar and Saudi Arabia over a single line referencing a lesbian relationship.
One regional cinema chain reportedly explained that the film was “banned,” but wouldn’t specify why. So yeah, it’s probably that explicit husband-on-husband kiss. This is also the first Marvel movie with a sex scene in it. The sex scene is a hetero one, and according to some reports, is about as hot as watching a Ken doll plank on a Barbie.
The Disney corporation loves making money, and those greedy fat cats would probably try to buy the rights to breathing air if they could. But Disney actually did a good thing, and they allegedly refused to cut the gay kiss in Eternals, thus risking a box office loss in the Middle East. Angelina gave them a metaphorical pat on the back for keeping the scene in the film while using her other hand to slap at the homophobes. via Indie Wire:
“I’m sad for [those audiences]. And I’m proud of Marvel for refusing to cut those scenes out,” Jolie told Australia’s News.com about the ban. “I still don’t understand how we live in a world today where there’s still [people who] would not see the family Phastos has and the beauty of that relationship and that love. How anybody is angry about it, threatened by it, doesn’t approve or appreciate it is ignorant.”
Chloé Zhao spoke about an alleged meeting Marvel and Disney had, where they discussed what would happen with a gay scene in Eternals, should gay haters rear their ugly heads. And according to Chloé, she and Marvel made it known that they really wouldn’t want that scene cut.
2021 is a different time, and I can imagine that even ten years ago, Disney might sheepishly be asking if Marvel could change it so that Phastos calls Ben his roommate. But they’re not, and that’s progress, right? Besides, that’s not even the most offensive thing about Eternals. They put Angelina in a blonde wig! We learned back in the Life or Something Like It era that Angelina is a soft autumn who cannot carry a spring’s brassiness.
Pic: Wenn.com