Movies get banned all the time, usually because of controversial or offensive content. Often times, the reason for the banning is obvious, like with Salo or I Spit On Your Grave, both of which straddle the line of good taste. Yet, sometimes the reason for a banning doesn’t make a whole lot of sense, and even the most innocent of movies have found themselves the victims of the ban hammer. From films that were banned due to racial censorship to a movie that was denied a release because of its color palette, here are ten movies that were banned for bizarre reasons.
Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man’s Chest - Banned in China
If there’s anything you’ll take away from this list, it’s that China has some really weird censorship requirements. One thing that the Chinese censors hate is so-called ‘superstitions’. There are a lot of reasons given as to why this is the case, but one constant is their disdain for ghosts. Literally any movie that features ghosts is at risk of an immediate denial. One movie that met this fate was the second Pirates movie, Dead Man’s Chest, all due to a scene that featured a few ghosts acting all spooky. This single scene, in a two-and-a-half hour movie, prevented it from being screened in China. Luckily, future installments lacked any phantoms or ghouls and were allowed in Chinese theaters.
Wonder Woman - Banned in Lebanon
The best movie so far in DC’s Expanded Universe, Wonder Woman showed that female-lead superhero movies could be box office successes. The movie opened to rave reviews from both critics and fans alike, with many of them praising actress Gal Godot’s performance of the titular heroine. However, it was because of her that the movie was banned in Lebanon and other nations within the Arab League. Lebanon justified their banning based on the fact that Gadot, who was born and raised in Israel, was a member of the Israeli Defence Force (IDF). Lebanon was at war with Israel at the time and likely felt uncomfortable showing a movie that starred a former opposition member. However, given the rampant anti-semitism within the region, it was also seen as a racial attack on a Jewish actress.
Noah - Banned in Multiple Muslim Nations
Darren Aronofsky’s adaptation to the Genesis story of Noah polarized audiences when it was released in 2014. While some praised it for its bold retelling of the classic story, others complained that it strayed too far from the Biblical narrative. In the Muslim world, it was controversial for a completely different reason.
In the Koran, Noah is listed as a Prophet, and according to Islamic law, effigies of Prophets are considered blasphemous. This extends to movies, and, as a result, movies that contain Prophets are often banned. Therefore, it’s understandable why Noah was banned as it would generate intense outrage among the faithful.
Back to the Future - Banned in China
Another movie banned in China, Marty McFly’s adventures with Doc Brown didn’t get any love from the world’s most populous nation. The time-bending classic has become a cherished favorite among film buffs everywhere. But it was that whole time-bendy thingy that got the People’s Republic all up in arms. Much like ghosts, time travel is an off-limits topic. The reasons vary, though the most common answer is that it’s “disrespectful to history”. Though this didn’t stop Avengers: Endgame from getting a release, despite its time-traveling themes.
Shrek 2 - Banned in Israel
Here we have an example of a movie that was banned due to a lawsuit rather than offensive content. Everyone’s favorite ogre is a fan favorite around the world, but he got into some hot water (or mud) when the Israeli voice cast attempted to make a culturally relevant joke. Said joke mocked the voice of Israeli singer David D’Or, whose wide vocal range was used as a euphemism for castration. Needless to say, D’Or was none too happy with the gag. He sued the Israeli distributor, who was forced to remove the film from theaters pending the lawsuit.
Schindler’s List - Banned in Lebanon
Stephen Spielberg’s magnum opus is not only the director’s greatest work, but it is often considered one of the greatest movies ever made. The story of one man’s mission to save as many Jews from the tragedies of World War II as possible moved audiences around the world. Sadly, Lebanon didn’t feel such compassion, and it was banned on the basis that it portrayed Jews in a positive light. Other Middle Eastern nations did the same, though they didn’t explicitly mention anti-semitism as a motivating factor. While most of these nations attempted to justify their bans in other ways, most commentators viewed this as an excuse to exclude the film from their nations.
2012 - Banned in North Korea
2012 may not have been the end of the world, but it did make for a fun disaster movie by director Roland Emmerich. But in North Korea, the year marked the 100th birthday of Kim-Il Sung, the nation’s first leader. Given how tyrannical the North Korean government is, the movie was banned, as it depicted their sacred year in a negative light. While North Korea’s attempts at censorship have been the subject of jokes, for those unfortunate enough to live there, it could be the difference between life and death. Anyone caught with a copy of 2012 or any forbidden film could earn a stiff punishment including imprisonment or worse.
The Simpsons Movie - Banned in Burma
The Simpsons have occasionally caused controversy, usually because of a gag that didn’t go over well with some audiences. However, never before did the series’ color palate offend anyone. That is until Burma decided to ban the 2007 film adaptation because of the colors yellow and red. You didn’t read that wrong, Burma found the Simpson’s yellow skin to be too offensive for their nation’s moviegoers. The reason behind this not very well explained, though it’s possible that they feared the colors would be incorporated by an anti-government rebel group. This would take a special type of paranoid to believe something as innocent as The Simpsons could spark a revolution.
Barney’s Great Adventure - Banned in Malaysia
It turns out that not even a plush, purple dinosaur is immune to government censorship. The 1998 film adaptation of the public television show for pre-schoolers was banned in Malaysia for… reasons. What reasons? Who knows! The Malaysian censors never gave an explanation beyond their belief that it was inappropriate for children without going into any detail as to why they felt that way. To this day, we still don’t know why Barney’s Great Adventure was banned there, and we probably never will.
Christopher Robin - Banned in China
China’s back, this time for banning one of Disney’s recent live-action adaptations of their animated properties. On the surface, the movie doesn’t seem to violate any of the regulations the country usually imposes. However, because of leader Xi Jinping’s insecurity, not only has Christoper Robin been banned, but everything related to Winnie-the-Pooh has as well. It’s all because critics of Xi Jinping, both in his country and out, use his uncanny resemblance to Pooh to mock him online, which ended up turning the silly, yellow bear into a symbol of resistance. In response, China banned all images and media related to Pooh. So, for those planning on visiting China soon, it’s probably a good idea to leave the Pooh Bear hoodie at home.
