Suicide Squad is one of the most highly anticipated films in the summer movie lineup of 2016. The superhero blockbuster is set to debut globally this weekend. However, China, the world’s most populous country and the second-largest film market, has decided not to participate in the excitement due to strict censorship regulations.
Warner Bros. has announced that they have not yet received notification regarding the official release date of Suicide Squad in China. Many insiders close to the Beijing authorities have confirmed that the decision to block the film’s release has been made.
According to reports, the China Film Group, which is responsible for distributing foreign films in the country, has not included Suicide Squad in its upcoming release schedule, which typically requires a minimum of two months’ notice prior to a film’s debut.
“This film does not seem to fit the criteria for a release in China,” said one Chinese film distributor, suggesting that further details might be limited.
The “supervillains” of Suicide Squad. Image: Telegraph
This news has led to speculation that Warner Bros. executives may be feeling pressure, as previously, the studio had attempted to market the film under the title “Task Force X” (to circumvent the connotations of the term “suicide”).
However, with a storyline that revolves around a group of “bad guys” tasked with saving the world from a disastrous fate, the film has run into complications with the stringent censorship policies of China.
Reports also indicate that not only Suicide Squad has been affected, but narratives that present a “negative or positive perspective on life, the world at large, or values” are also prohibited from being released in China.
As a result, fans in China have now lost hope of seeing the “supervillains” fight for the world in Suicide Squad. For months, they have been tracking news on whether the film would pass through the Chinese censorship committee.
Previously, the film Suicide Squad was rated R, meaning anyone under 13 must be accompanied by a parent or guardian when attending, raising hopes that it might navigate through the strict regulations faced by the blockbuster Deadpool.
With many violent scenes and “colorful” language, Deadpool also faced scrutiny from Chinese authorities, who deemed it unsuitable for release in the country.
Source: Zing
