Algeria has said no to the new Barbie movie, just three weeks after it came out in the country.
The government’s culture ministry has told movie theaters to stop showing the Hollywood blockbuster right away. An official source shared with Reuters News that the film was against Algeria’s religious and cultural values because it talked about homosexuality.
People in cities like Algiers, Oran, and Constantine were watching the movie a lot, as reported by the news website 24H Algérie. It seems like the film was really popular and sold out every day.
But now, it’s banned officially because it’s believed to be “bad for morals,” says a private news website.
The movie also caused some trouble in other Arab countries. Kuwait banned it last week because they wanted to protect their “public ethics.” The film stars famous actors Margot Robbie and Ryan Gosling. It tells the story of Barbie growing up and learning about herself.
The director, Greta Gerwig, said it was meant to be funny and hoped it would help society move past things that aren’t good for men or women.
While some places didn’t like it, other countries like the UK and Spain enjoyed Barbie’s new adventure.
Even British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak and the Spanish royal family went to see the film in theaters. Since it came out, the movie has made more than $1 billion worldwide.