Angelina Jolie Slams Eternals Ban, Says Anyone Threatened By Gay Roles Is ‘Ignorant’
Marvel's Eternals has been banned in certain countries including Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Kuwait, Bahrain and Oman reportedly due to the film starring an openly gay couple.
Marvel's
Eternals
has
been
banned
in
certain
countries
including
Saudi
Arabia,
Qatar,
Kuwait,
Bahrain
and
Oman
reportedly
due
to
the
film
starring
an
openly
gay
couple.
A
Deadline
report
revealed
that
censors
in
the
markets
sought
further
cuts
beyond
any
scenes
of
same-sex
intimacy.
After
Disney
refused
to
make
the
edits,
distribution
certificates
were
not
issued.
Now
Angelina
Jolie,
who
plays
the
immortal
Thena
in
the
film
has
opened
up
about
the
bad.
The
actress
said,
"I'm
sad
for
[those
audiences].
And
I'm
proud
of
Marvel
for
refusing
to
cut
those
scenes
out.
I
still
don't
understand
how
we
live
in
a
world
today
where
there's
still
(people
who)
would
not
see
the
family
Phastos
has
and
the
beauty
of
that
relationship
and
that
love."
"How
anybody
is
angry
about
it,
threatened
by
it,
doesn't
approve
or
appreciate
it
is
ignorant," she
added.
For
the
unversed,
Phastos
is
the
openly
gay
Eternal
played
in
the
film
by
Brian
Tyree
Henry.
The
superhero
is
married
to
Ben
(Haaz
Sleiman),
and
the
two
share
a
kiss
during
one
scene
in
the
film.
Director
Chloe
Zhao
previously
has
revealed
that
Marvel
and
Disney
discussed
about
not
cutting
the
film
to
appease
censors
around
the
world.
The
filmmaker
told
IndieWire,
"I
don't
know
all
the
details,
but
I
do
believe
discussions
were
had
and
there's
a
big
desire
from
Marvel
and
myself
-
we
talked
about
this
-
to
not
change
the
cut
of
the
movie.
Fingers
crossed."
Meanwhile,
reports
have
revealed
that
the
ban
may
not
solely
be
because
of
the
intimate
same-sex
scenes
but
because
of
the
depiction
of
gods
and
prophets
in
the
film.
The
film
has
received
mixed
reviews
in
the
countries
that
it
has
revealed
including
North
America,
Canada
and
14
international
marketplaces
like
India,
South
Korea,
France,
Germany,
Italy
and
more.
Despite
bad
reviews,
Eternals
is
85%
ahead
of
Shang-Chi
and
the
Legend
of
the
Ten
Rings
and
20%
ahead
of
Black
Widow
on
Rotten
Tomatoes.
It
reportedly
has
earned
Rs.
8.75
crore
gross
and
7.35
crore
net
on
opening
day
in
India.