This series of superhero films cannot be shown in certain countries for a reason. Which one did you not expect to be banned?
Superhero films have become one of the most popular types of shows in recent years. Because, through a number of these films, we can see the exciting actions of the heroes against a number of villains. Therefore, it is not surprising that audiences in almost every country really like superhero movies.
Even so, there are some superhero films that cannot be shown in certain countries. This happened because the series of films were banned due to regulations from certain countries. In fact, the reason for blocking a number of these films is quite ridiculous.
Well, here KINCIR will discuss a row of superhero films that got banned for silly reasons. Come on, see!
Superhero films have been banned by a country
1. Superman (1978) – Banned by China
The Superman film involving Christopher Reeve as the actor became one of the classic and popular DC films of all time. However, this film turned out to be banned from showing in China. The reason is, the Chinese government considers the Superman figure in the film as United States propaganda that can trigger action among its people.
2. Daredevil (2003) – Banned by Malaysia
Daredevil tells the story of a blind lawyer named Matt Murdock (Ben Affleck) who at night becomes a vigilante with Daredevil’s alter ego. Daredevil’s style of killing his enemies is indeed quite brutal. This is what then made the film Daredevil experience a ban on the territory of Malaysia.
20th Century Fox, the studio that produces and distributes Daredevil, filed an objection against the ban to the Malaysian censorship agency. However, efforts to keep the film released in Malaysia failed miserably.
Abdullah Badawi as Deputy Prime Minister of Malaysia at that time opened his voice regarding this ban. Badawi stated that any film that contains elements of violence and sexual content that has the potential to cause chaos in the community will be banned. So, Daredevil was not only banned due to violence but also a sexual moment between Daredevil and Elektra.
3. V for Vendetta (2005) – Banned by China
V for Vendetta tells the story of V, a masked hero who performs various anarchic actions to carry out a revolution against the fascist government. It is this storyline that makes V for Vendetta experience a ban on Chinese territory. You see, the Chinese government is afraid that the film will inspire people to rebel against their country’s government.
4. Constantine (2005) – Banned by Brunei Darussalam
Constantine is a DC film that has Keanu Reeves in the role. This film tells the story of John Constantine who eradicated demons in the world and returned them to hell by using his magical abilities as a detective and sorcerer. Even though it is a comic adaptation, the film’s story still refers to the mythological stories of angels and demons in the books of Christians.
This is what then made Constantine experience a ban on the territory of Brunei Darussalam. The reason is, Brunei is a country where the majority adheres to Islam, so any film that deviates from Islam will be banned. In addition, the Brunei government is also afraid that Constantine will spread Christian ideology to its people, thereby strengthening the ban on the film.
5. The Dark Knight (2008) – Banned by China
In one of the scenes in the film The Dark Knight, we can see Bruce Wayne going to Hong Kong. However, strangely, this film did not appear at all in Hong Kong or China.
The Chinese government has never revealed the reason for not showing The Dark Knight. Even so, many suspect that this ban occurred because, in the scene in Hong Kong, Batman appears to have kidnapped criminals from Hong Kong and violated his country’s regulations. Meanwhile, the studio said that the reason for the ban was due to inappropriate cultural issues.
6. Wonder Woman (2017) – Banned by Lebanon
The ban on Wonder Woman that occurred in the Lebanese region occurred not because of the story or the theme of the film, but because of the involvement of Gal Gadot as the main character. Because Gadot is an actress who has Israeli blood and has even joined the Israeli military forces.
Well, Lebanon has a very bad relationship with Israel. The reason is, Lebanon supports Palestinian independence and at the same time condemns Israel’s actions, which have been involved in war for decades. In fact, the ban on the Wonder Woman film did not only come from the Lebanese government, but also from the people who participated in boycotting the film.
7. Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings (2021) – Banned by China
Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings is the first MCU film to feature an Asian superhero as the main character. Not only that, but this film also involves many actors who are of Asian blood and use Mandarin in a number of their dialogues. Surprisingly, this Marvel film actually experienced a ban on the territory of China.
This ban occurred due to comments that Simu Liu the actor of Shang-Chi had made negative comments about China in 2017. Simu Liu called China a third-world country and said that it was the people who were suffering from hunger. Liu also had time to give a message to Chinese audiences, but his actions never made the film available to be shown in China.
Well, that’s a number of superhero films that have been banned for silly reasons. Of these films, which one did you not expect to be banned? Share your opinion.
