‘Doctor Strange In The Multiverse Of Madness’ Banned In Saudi Arabia Due To Gay Character

Scott Derrickson, the director, and co-writer of Doctor Strange had plans for a sequel by October 2016. Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness is an upcoming American superhero film based on Marvel Comics’ Doctor Strange. Despite worldwide excitement, the film has reportedly been banned in Saudi Arabia due to having a gay character.

Due to the inclusion of a gay character, Marvel’s “Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness” will not be shown in Saudi Arabia and several other Arab countries. According to Variety, Saudi Arabian censors refused to issue a permit for the film’s release in the kingdom because the changes they requested were not approved by Disney.

The new Sam Raimi-directed sequel stars Benedict Cumberbatch as the titular character, as well as the new hero America Chavez, played by Xochitl Gomez from “The Baby-Sitters Club.” Her character in the film is reportedly gay, just as she is in the Marvel comics. The sequel to “Doctor Strange,” which will be released in the United States on May 6, was originally scheduled to be released on May 5 in Saudi Arabia and other Gulf countries.

Movies about or containing sex, homosexuality, or religious issues are routinely cut in the region to comply with censorship rules. In this case, Disney was either unwilling or unable to make censorship-requested changes. Censorship in Saudi Arabia has recently prevented local audiences from seeing Marvel’s “Eternals” after Disney refused to make edits that included the film’s same-sex kiss, as well as “West Side Story,” which features a transgender character.

This is not a problem unique to Saudi Arabia. The sequel to “Doctor Strange” will not be available for pre-sale in Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, or Qatar. They are, however, for sale in the United Arab Emirates, indicating that the film will be released there, as censorship in the Emirates has recently become less stringent. “Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness” follows the Sorcerer Supreme as he tries to deal with the fallout from his multiverse-fracturing spell in “Spider-Man: No Way Home.”

Doctor Strange teams up with Wanda Maximoff, played by Elizabeth Olsen, in this film, which takes place after the events of “WandaVision” and “Loki.” To get the latest updates, keep an eye on Thirsty.

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