KUALA LUMPUR, June 14 — With Disney’s Lightyear reportedly being banned from local cinemas, some disappointed fans have taken to social media to voice their frustrations.
Originally slated for a June 16 release, the animated Toy Story prequel has been supposedly pulled due to the inclusion of a same-sex kissing scene.
While the Film Censorship Board (LPF) has provided no official statement many online users have pointed to its history of cutting down other major US films with gay characters and storylines.
Infamously, Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets of Dumbledore, Rocketman, and Bohemian Rhapsody were edited heavily to avoid breaking LPF guidelines.
Although Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness remained in cinemas despite the inclusion of a same-sex family.
This does not come as a surprise to social media users who have already commented on how they plan to watch the highly anticipated film.
I guess I'll wait for #Lightyear to release on Disney+ https://t.co/KPVt13FpQy
— TheAidilAiman (@TheAidilAiman) June 14, 2022
Lameeeeeee. Lucky there's always the next door neighbour. https://t.co/9T0w8gtp1p
— chareli (@chareli) June 13, 2022
Go woke, go broke https://t.co/F9sMpYWDEz
— Faiz (@PaekSukis) June 13, 2022
Malaysians have been upset with the ban, especially with a scene that is apparently not even a big part of the film's story.
Thank god I was born in Malaysia, already trained to get used to disappointment.
— Loi Hao (@loihao) June 13, 2022
We should've expected this anyway - as more and more of the world opens up to varied portrayals of love, there will always be those who are too scared and insecure to do anything but ban https://t.co/L3Th0gFBkb
— Oden Fujiyama (@FujiyamaOden) June 14, 2022
With Malaysians eager to see the animated film, Lightyear’s ban is expected to be a big blow to local cinemas.
