Pixar's 'Lightyear' film banned in number of Arab countries over lesbian characters

Several Arab countries have announced that they will not be screening the upcoming Pixar animated feature 'Lightyear' amid reports that the film includes a kiss between two female characters, Reuters has learnt.

Authorities in Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Qatar, Kuwait, Oman, Bahrain, Egypt, Jordan and Lebanon have announced that the film will not be shown in cinemas. Most of these countries are Muslim-majority nations.

Malaysia and Indonesia said they will also ban the film, however it is not clear yet whether more countries will follow suit.

The UAE announced that it was banning the film on Monday.

The movie, with actor Chris Evans voicing the inspiration for the Buzz Lightyear action figure from the 'Toy Story' films, reportedly includes a character voiced by actress Uzo Aduba kissing another woman.

A number of Arab states also banned the Marvel film 'Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness' this year because it features an openly gay character.

Most Arab countries criminalise same-sex relations, and there have been reports of inhumane detention and invasive searches in many of them in recent years.

The $200 million 'Lightyear' is expected to be a major draw for Disney, with analysts estimating it could gross over $100 million in its first weekend.