Why Is New Doctor Strange Film Banned In Saudi Arabia?

Marvel Studios is going to release one of its much-anticipated films Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness this May but the fans in Saudi Arabia will not be able to watch it in theatres as the country's government has banned the film.

As per reports, the Saudi Arabia censors did not issue the certificate of distribution for the Benedict Cumberbatch starrer due to the presence of a gay character in the film. Originally, the film was supposed to release in the country and other Gulf countries on May 5.

The second film of Doctor Strange's character has been directed by Sam Raimi. It will also introduce a new hero named America Chavez. The character of Chavez has been played by Xochitl Gomez. As per reports, this new superhero identifies as gay.

Doctor Strange Banned In Saudi Arabia

This is not the first time that Saudi Arabia has banned a Marvel movie. Earlier they had not allowed the distribution of Cloe Zhao directional The Eternals in the country as it had a same-sex couple romance in it. It was Marvel Cinematic Universe's first gay superhero, Phastos. The character was played by actor Brian Tyree Henry. Phastos could change the complicated parts of an imaginary machine with a flick of his hand and then bring it reality. After removing himself from the Eternals squad, Phastos got married to another man also raised a child with him.

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Doctor Strange in the Multiverse Madness is the sequel which will deal with the consequences of the incidents that took place in Spider-Man: No Way Home in 2021. Cumberbatch's Doctor Strange with his spell invited several unwanted villains from across the multiverse and they spread across the Marvel Cinematic Universe timeline.

As per the details teased in the trailers of the upcoming film, this Doctor Strange will also include Wanda, a superhero played by Elizabeth Olsen. Wanda's storyline will be continued from where it got halted in the web series titled Wanda Vision. When the series started streaming on Disney plus Hotstar in 2021, it broke every television record with every new episode released over the span of one month.

The Doctor Strange sequel is part of Marvel Cinematic Universe's phase four releases which started from 2021 and will go on till 2023.