'Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness' banned in Saudi Arabia

Marvel’s much-awaited Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness has been banned in Saudi Arabia as per The Hollywood Reporter. According to the publication’s sources, the Benedict Cumberbatch-starrer has an LGBTQ character America Chavez, who is gay in the comics. And, since homosexuality is banned in the Middle East countries, the film didn’t get the approval of the censor board.

The publication also noted that the film’s advance booking is no longer available in Saudi Arabia, Kuwait and Qatar. But they are available in the United Arab Emirates, hinting that the film will release there. Earlier, West Side Story and Eternals were also stopped from screening in the theaters in Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Qatar, Bahrain, Oman and Kuwait.

Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness releases on May 6. Elizabeth Olsen, Chiwetel Ejiofor, Benedict Wong, Xochitl Gomez, Michael Stuhlbarg, and Rachel McAdams also star in the film.

The film is a follow-up to the 2016 Doctor Strange, which introduced Benedict Cumberbatch as the Sorcerer Supreme. While the first part was directed by Scott Derrickson, the sequel is helmed by Sam Raimi of the original Spider-Man trilogy spanning 2002 to 2007.

The trailer for Multiverse of Madness follows Doctor Strange trying to contain the effects of the spell he cast in Spider-Man: No Way Home which tampered with the delicate fabric of space and time. In the film, Doctor Strange will be teaming up with Scarlet Witch AKA Wanda Maximoff played by Elizabeth Olsen, enlisting her help with the multiverse.

Multiverse of Madness appears to be the first deep dive into the world of the multiverse after it was teased in No Way Home as well as the TV series Loki. The film is set to release on May 6, 2022.

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