Top distribution company, Filmone Entertainment announced the film’s Nigerian theatrical release on Friday, June 17. Expectedly, a censored version of the film will show across cinemas as Nigeria has maintained a zero tolerance policy for gay content.
The sensational scene in the movie features a character called Alisha Hawthorne briefly kissing her same-sex partner.
Since its release, the ‘Toy Story’ prequel has become a stage for major controversial LGBTQ+ takes. At least 14 predominantly Muslim countries in the Middle East including Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and Kuwait have announced a complete ban of the film. A handful of Asian countries have also expressed strong reservations for Disney’s inclusive content.
In Nigeria, the rumoured ban comes as no surprise. In November 2021, the Censors board temporarily banned Marvel’s ‘Eternals’ for featuring a seconds-long same-sex kissing scene. The offensive scene was later yanked and returned to the big screens. The board later explained that the scene violated Nigeria’s ’ethics’.
