Disney Refuses to Cut Scene from Upcoming Doctor Strange Sequel
After recent reports stated Saudi Arabia banned Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, a government official clarified that Disney was asked to edit out “LGBTQ references” prior to the film’s premiere. The second installment of Doctor Strange includes a brief scene wherein lesbian character America Chavez (Xochitl Gomez) refers to her “two moms.” Nawaf Alsabhan, Saudi Arabia’s general supervisor of cinema classification, told The Guardian that the scene is “barely 12 seconds,” and Disney refused to fulfill his censorship request. “It’s just her talking about her moms because she has two moms,” Alsabhan stated. “And being in the Middle East, it’s very tough to pass something like this.”
While Alsabhan claims the new Doctor Strange is not outrightly banned, the film will likely not screen in Saudi Arabia if Disney does not comply with edit requests. When asked to cut out scenes featuring a gay couple in Eternals last year, Disney again, refused. As a result, the movie never debuted in Gulf countries. Now, an AMC employee in Saudi Arabia revealed that the upcoming Marvel film has been “withdrawn” from the cinema. “It’s a simple edit … So far they have refused,” Alsabhan told Agence France-Presse. “But we haven’t closed the door. We’re still trying.”
Homosexuality is a capital offense in Saudi Arabia, so any media featuring LGBTQ+ themes are usually censored or banned. Originally slated for release in Gulf countries on May 5, advanced tickets for the Doctor Strange sequel are not available in Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, and Qatar. Screening of the film is highly unlikely in any of these areas. However, tickets are currently on sale in the United Arab Emirates due to less restrictive censorship standards.
Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness is scheduled to premiere in the United States on May 6. Succeeding the events of Loki, Wandavision, and Spider-Man: No Way Home, the story follows Dr. Strange (Benedict Cumberbatch) after he casts a forbidden spell that opens the door to several parallel dimensions. Pre-order tickets here.
