Barbie might be pink, playful, and empowering – but it wasn’t welcome everywhere. Vietnam banned the film after spotting a background map showing the “nine-dash line,” which supports China’s territorial claims in the South China Sea. The detail was small, but the political implications were big enough to keep Barbie out of Vietnamese theaters entirely. | © Warner Bros. Pictures
Lightyear aimed to tell Buzz Lightyear’s origin story but ended up sparking controversy instead. The movie was banned in 14 countries, including Saudi Arabia and the UAE, because of a brief kiss between two women. It’s a blink-and-you’ll-miss-it scene that still managed to ground Buzz’s flight across much of the Middle East. | © Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures
A Clockwork Orange is both a masterpiece and a lightning rod for controversy. Stanley Kubrick’s brutal vision of violence and manipulation led to bans in Ireland, Brazil, South Africa, and Singapore for decades. Even in the UK, Kubrick himself pulled the film after receiving threats, leaving it unseen there until long after his death. | © Warner Bros. Pictures
Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness opened portals to countless worlds, but not to theaters in parts of the Middle East. The film was banned in Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, and Qatar because of a brief mention that America Chavez has two mothers. It’s a passing detail that drew outsized backlash, though the movie still conjured nearly a billion dollars worldwide. | © Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures
Deadpool broke box office records with its sharp humor and R-rated chaos, but not in China. The film was banned there for its graphic violence, explicit language, and nudity, all of which were too much for the country’s strict censors. Ironically, the same reasons it was blocked abroad are exactly what made it a hit everywhere else. | © 20th Century Fox
The Da Vinci Code turned Dan Brown’s bestseller into a worldwide hit, though not everyone got to see it. The movie was banned in Pakistan and several regions of India after religious leaders argued that it disrespected Christian beliefs. What was meant to be a fast-paced mystery quickly became a cultural flashpoint across South Asia. | © Sony Pictures Releasing
I Spit on Your Grave remains one of the most controversial films ever made. Its graphic depictions of sexual violence and revenge led Ireland to ban both the original theatrical release and the 2010 DVD edition. Even decades later, the film’s extreme brutality keeps it on censorship lists around the world. | © Cinemagic Pictures
Fifty Shades of Grey steamed up screens worldwide, but several countries wanted no part of it. The sensual drama was banned in India, Malaysia, Kenya, and Indonesia for its sexual content, even after studios offered to tone it down. While most audiences saw it as harmless fantasy, censors in these regions saw it as crossing the line entirely. | © Universal Pictures
The Texas Chain Saw Massacre terrified audiences with its raw brutality, but for years, many couldn’t see it at all. Governments in Norway, Sweden, Iceland, Ireland, Chile, Brazil, Singapore, and West Germany banned the film at various points for its shocking violence and realistic gore. Despite the controversy, the movie became a cult classic and a cornerstone of modern horror once those bans were lifted. | © Bryanston Distributing Company
Rambo: First Blood Part II brought John Rambo back to the battlefield, but not everyone welcomed his return. The movie was banned in India for showing Vietnam and the Soviet Union in a negative light, both countries closely tied to India at the time. Vietnam also rejected the film, citing its portrayal of the war as one-sided and offensive. | © Tri‑Star Pictures
Noah didn’t make it to theaters in several Middle Eastern countries. The film was banned in Qatar, the UAE, Bahrain, and others countries because Islamic law forbids showing prophets on screen. Starring Russell Crowe, it caused controversy long before its release for touching on a story considered too sacred to portray. | © Paramount Pictures
Wonder Woman was a huge hit around the world, but it never reached theaters in some Middle Eastern countries. Qatar, Jordan, and a few others banned the movie because its star, Gal Gadot, is Israeli and previously served in the Israel Defense Forces. The decision had nothing to do with the film’s content, just the nationality of its leading hero. | © Warner Bros. Pictures
South Park: Bigger, Longer & Uncut didn’t sit well with everyone, especially Saddam Hussein. The film’s crude humor and unflattering portrayal of the Iraqi dictator led him to ban both the movie and the South Park TV series in Iraq. The censorship only added to the film’s infamy, cementing its place as one of the boldest animated comedies ever made. | © Paramount Pictures
The Last Temptation of Christ faced backlash long before it ever hit theaters. Martin Scorsese’s film, which portrays Jesus as conflicted and tempted by earthly desires, was banned or protested in several countries, including Greece and Chile. In the U.S., thousands of theaters refused to screen it, and Blockbuster wouldn’t stock it, making it one of the most controversial religious films ever released. | © Universal Pictures
The Exorcist shocked audiences when it first came out, and not everyone wanted it available at home. In the U.K., the movie was banned from video release in 1988 after being labeled too disturbing to watch unsupervised. It finally returned in 1999, proving that even decades later, it could still scare people silly. | © Warner Bros. Pictures
Movies can push boundaries, and sometimes, they push too far. From political disputes to religious backlash and strict moral codes, these films were banned, censored, or pulled from theaters across the globe. Here are 15 movies that stirred enough controversy to get shut down completely.
