LOS ANGELES: Egypt has banned Hollywood's big screen biblical epic Exodus: Gods and Kings, a 20th Century Fox spokesperson said on Friday.
The studio owned by Twenty-First Century Fox Inc declined to give a reason for the ban, but films that depict biblical figures have been prohibited before in the Muslim country.
Paramount Pictures' Bible tale Noah was banned in several countries in the Middle East this year for its depiction of a prophet, which is forbidden in Islam.
The film directed by Ridley Scott and starring Christian Bale, dramatizes the Bible's Book of Exodus about Moses leading the Jews out of Egypt.
Exodus, which has an estimated $140 million budget, has come under criticism for casting mostly white actors in the lead roles and some historical anachronisms.
Morrocco has also reportedly banned the film, which has so far grossed $107 million in two weeks in worldwide release.
The film's ban comes as Sony Pictures faced a devastating cyberattack blamed on North Korea for The Interview, a raunchy comedy that depicts a fictional plot to assassinate North Korea leader Kim Jong Un.
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I dont get it :/ Noah, Jesus, all these Great People have been mentioned in Islam and they have a prominent role and stories of their own. Sure, they are not the basis of Islam but that does not mean that They have nothing to do with it and They are forbidden in Islam. I dont get the point of banning the movie. I find these movies very informative and interesting. I would not want to be stopped from watching it.
While I am against racism, I don't understand why something HAS TO HAVE something so that it may indicate that the creators of it don't believe in something totally opposite. Racism charge against Exodus, while Bale had already clarified that a huge budget film wouldn't have been possible if they had taken all (or mostly) colored / brown actors, is totally beyond me.