Weird Reasons Major Movies Have Been Banned Overseas

This month , Chinese officials banned the newGhostbustersreboot from make for in the country ’s film theatre . agree toan unnamed executive , China ’s government - possess film charge blocked the release , and it ai n’t ‘cause they ’re afraid of no ghosts .

Thanks to the Communist Party ’s profane guideline , anything thatpromotes cults or superstitionis block from Chinese theatre , a precedent that kept movie as giving asPirates of the Caribbean : Dead Man ’s Chestfrom playing in the profitable market . ( Anti - cannibalism sentimentsdidn’t help matter there , either . ) And China is n’t the only place with bats film censorship guidelines . Here are six other American movies – and one poor actress ! – that were banned overseas for eyebrow - raising reason .

The Simpsons Movie(Myanmar)

No one in Myanmar experienced Spider - Pig becauseThe Simpsons Moviewas banish nationally on the cornerstone of … color choice . Just as the res publica had done to paintings throughout the twentieth 100 , Burmese film censorsimposed a rigorous policybanning the color yellow and red-faced , as the latterrepresentsrevolution and pedigree . Any movie featuring them is off - limit . Considering Homer ’s skin tone , The Simpsons Moviedidn’t stick out a chance .

Zoolander(Malaysia)

Derek Zoolander might be a dummy , but hedidsave the prime minister of Malaysia ( or " prime rib of Propecia " ) from an assassination attempt . Unfortunately , Malayan film censors did n’t find the wit in Derek and Hansel ’s dimwitted , culturally appropriative funniness : theyblocked the movieover the character assassination subplot , and convinced Singapore tofollow suit .

2012(North Korea)

North Korea is n’t swell on most movies made inAmerica , Japan , or South Korea . But Kim Jong - il was especially opposed to this John Cusack catastrophe motion picture , and for a self - righteous reason : Kim conceive that 2012 was destined to be a lucky year for his nation , since it marked the centenary natal day of Kim Il - sung , the " Great Leader " of North Korea . So he did n’t desire anyone watching a movie where Earth collapse during this blessed class . Of course2012was banned , and police evencracked downon citizen smuggling bootleg copies of the movie across the Chinese borderline . Anyone caught with the scandalise videodisk front up to five years in prison , which is a high toll to pay for some CGI tsunami .

E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial(most of Scandinavia)

Sweden , Finland , and Norway prohibited most kid from seeingSteven Spielberg ’s alien adventure over concern thatE.T.painted adults as the enemy . Under the imposed age cap , only preteens were set aside in – and their younger siblings were pissed . The AP reportedthat children stood outside theaters with tiny , heartbreaking pale signs demanding admittance . That did n’t accomplish much , but the smart kids found means to sneak in .

Monkey Business(Ireland)

A Marx Brothers movie seems middling innocuous today , but for prewar Irish censor , it was downright severe . Monkey Businesswas denied a theatrical expiration in Ireland over fears that it would"provoke the Irish to anarchy . “That Bachelor of Arts in Nursing was n’t lifteduntil 2000 , which seems extreme , until you watch thecontroversial gag like thisone .