Angelina Jolie says Gulf nations banning 'Eternals' over gay relationship are 'ignorant'

• Angelina Jolie called it "sad" that "Eternals" has reportedly been banned in Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and Kuwait.
• The Hollywood Reporter said Disney refused a series of edit requests from local censors.

Angelina Jolie has criticized the three Gulf countries that have reportedly banned "Eternals" over its gay relationship in an interview with news.com.au.

"Eternals," which is available in US theatres from today, is the newest addition to the Marvel Cinematic Universe and includes Marvel's most diverse line-up ever including Marvel's first openly gay family, actors from several different ethnic backgrounds, and the first deaf superhero in the MCU.

The Hollywood Reporter reported yesterday that theaters in Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and Kuwait have removed "Eternals" from their websites after Disney refused to make a series of edits requested by the local censors.

Sources for THR said the ban was likely to do with the movie including a same-sex couple who kiss on-screen. Homosexuality is illegal in those countries.

Jolie, who stars in the movie as the Eternal warrior Thena, responded to this ban during a press roundtable, which news.com.au attended.

She said: "I'm sad for [those audiences]. And I'm proud of Marvel for refusing to cut those scenes out."

"I still don't understand how we live in a world today where there's still [people who] would not see the family Phastos has and the beauty of that relationship and that love," the Academy award-winning actress continued. "How anybody is angry about it, threatened by it, doesn't approve or appreciate it is ignorant."

Phastos (Brian Tyree Henry) is Marvel's first openly gay superhero and whilst previous projects by Disney and Marvel have sidelined their LGBTQ representation, in "Eternals" we meet Phastos' partner (Haaz Sleiman) and see them kiss on-screen.

"Eternals" director Chloe Zhao told IndieWire in October that she hoped that the scenes showing Phastos' relationship will not get censored.

"I don't know all the details, but I do believe discussions were had and there's a big desire from Marvel and myself - we talked about this - to not change the cut of the movie. Fingers crossed," The Academy Award-winning filmmaker said.

Whilst critics have panned the movie, giving "Eternals" the lowest Rotten Tomato score of the MCU, most critics, including Insider's Kirsten Acuna, praised the movie's LGBTQ representation. Feige told Variety at the "Eternals" premiere that Phastos is "just the start" of the MCU including LGBTQ heroes in its movies. However, the movie has recently been review-bombed by people who criticized the movie for being too "woke."