Sony’s Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse is facing challenges with theatrical distribution in the Gulf states.
Reuters reported today that leading regional exhibitor Vox Cinemas will not play the movie in the United Arab Emirates amid debate online and among regional movie fans about the animated film’s treatment of transgender themes.
Reuters also reports that major cinema chains in Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Kuwait, Oman and Bahrain do not list the movie on their websites’ “coming soon” sections, including Vox, Novo, and Reel cinemas.
Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse delivered the second biggest debut of 2023 when it opened in the US earlier this month. The film was set for a June 22 release in the Gulf region.
The film has sparked debate online about whether the character Gwen Stacy is trans, and a scene in a trailer shows a sign in the background that reads “protect trans kids”.
Reuters said it could not determine if that was the reason the film was pulled.
The Middle East market is growing in importance for studios, with the Saudi market growing fast. By 2030, Saudi Arabia is likely to have box office revenues in excess of $1bn – putting it in the top 20 of global cinema markets.
Screen has contacted Vox Cinemas for comment.
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