Get all your news in one place.
100’s of premium titles.
One app.
Start reading
The Independent UK
The Independent UK
Lifestyle
Jacob Stolworthy

45 films you never realised were banned, from Wonder Woman to Shrek 2 [old]

Since the dawn of time – well, the start of cinema – many films have been banned from being shown in certain countries due to ridiculous reasons.

Thanks to strict laws or conflicting beliefs, censors from all around the world – China, Ireland, Lebanon, to name just a few – continue to work hard determining whether new releases are fit to be screened in cinemas.

While some titles, including graphic horror films The Texas Chainsaw Massacre and The Human Centipede 2, get banned for obvious reasons, there is a long history of unexpected features – such as Disney releases and inoffensive superhero films – that failed to make the cut.

Last year saw the re-release of Stanley Kubrick’s controversial film A Clockwork Orange, which despite getting nominated for Best Picture at the Oscars, found itself at the centre of a ban in several countries (South Africa, South Korea, etc) in 1971.

In fact, Kubrick himself imposed a ban on the film being shown in the UK in 1973 right up until his death in 1999.

Below is a roundup of the 45 films you never realised were banned – and the reasons why.

Scroll through the gallery to see what made the list.

Sign up to read this article
Read news from 100’s of titles, curated specifically for you.
Already a member? Sign in here
Related Stories
Top stories on inkl right now
One subscription that gives you access to news from hundreds of sites
Already a member? Sign in here
Our Picks
Fourteen days free
Download the app
One app. One membership.
100+ trusted global sources.