The Barbie movie that has taken the world by storm is facing an interesting ban. The animated romantic comedy, which is due to be released on 20 July, has been banned for political reasons. Barbie, starring Margot Robbie, has caused tensions between China and Vietnam.
Barbie will not be released in Vietnam
The Warner Bros. romantic comedy has been caught in the middle of another political crisis. The nine-dash line, accepted by the Chinese government, is seen as a violation of Vietnam’s sovereignty. The inclusion of this line in the film has caused a great stir in Vietnam.
Commenting on the issue, Vi Kien Thanh, director of the Vietnam Film Department, said the situation was very worrying. “Hollywood productions should respect the cultural sensitivities and political dynamics of each country when referring to the Asian region in their films,” he said.
Some films produced by Warner Bros. have faced similar problems. In order to obtain a licence in countries, they edited scenes or compromised the film by cutting certain scenes altogether.
The Barbie movie is expected to make $80 million in its first week. The ban caused some concern in the region and in China. Especially after the disappointing performance of The Flash, Barbie is not expected to fail.
Starring Margot Robbie and Ryan Gosling, the film offers an animated real world. The star-studded cast also includes Dua Lipa, Rhea Perlman, John Cena and Marisa Abela.
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