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Greta Gerwig's ‘Barbie’ long-awaited theatrical release in Middle East is finally happening.
The billion-dollar blockbuster had faced possible bans in certain regions, particularly Saudi Arabia, due to censorship concerns. This marked a significant triumph for people in the Middle East who did not experience the ‘Barbie fever' on time.
Initially slated for a Middle East debut on July 19, just two days before its worldwide rollout, the release date faced a series of delays. This is after local censors request edits related to LGBTQ-related narration and dialogue. These suggested modifications prompted a shift in the release date to August 31 and a possible ban. Eventually, it moved up to this Thursday, August 10.
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The approach taken by Warner Bros. and Mattel in response to the proposed edits remains undisclosed.
Censorship rules in the Middle East often mean chopping scenes from movies that touch on subjects like sex, LGBTQ themes, and religion, all to fit local standards. Movies that refuse to play along with these edits, as suggested by censors, usually end up banned from hitting the big screen. A recent case in point is Sony's “Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse,” which was never released in Saudi Arabia and the UAE due to a scene with a “Protect Trans Lives” flag. Plus, earlier “Barbie” versions got the boot in Saudi Arabia for not sticking to the usual gender roles.
Fast-forward to today, Greta Gerwig’s ‘Barbie’ has already ruled the global box office. The film already raked in a whopping $1.03 billion, with $468 million just from North American moviegoers. This flick's non-stop popularity is proof of its all-around appeal and powerful themes, setting the stage for an exciting Middle East release that's gonna be one for the books.
