The next “Barbie” movie from Warner Bros. Pictures was banned in Vietnam.
The Margot Robbie and Ryan Gosling-directed film is one of the most anticipated films of the summer and would have originally opened in this country on July 21.
According to Variety, the movie contains a scene that depicts a card with the “nine-dash line.” This represents China’s territorial claims in the South China Sea, which Vietnam claims violate its sovereignty.
The UN dispute settlement tribunal in The Hague ruled unanimously against the validity of the nine-dash line, but China said it does not recognize the ruling.
Director of Vietnam’s Film Department and Minister of Culture Vi Kien Thanh revealed on Monday that the ban was decided by the National Film Rating Board.
The official Tuoi Tre newspaper states, “We do not license the American film ‘Barbie’ to be released in Vietnam because it contains the offensive image of the nine-dash line.”
This isn’t the first time this has happened with DreamWorks’ 2019 animated film “Abominable” and Sony’s “Uncharted” film adaptation, both banned for the same reason.
“Barbie” will be released in cinemas around the world from July 21.