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Are there any movie posters that have been banned or deemed controversial?

Eppie Squires

Oh boy, oh boy, do I have some juicy movie poster scoop for you! There have been numerous movie posters throughout history that have been banned or deemed controversial for a plethora of reasons.

Let's start with a classic one, shall we? The 1972 movie, Last Tango in Paris, caused quite the stir with its poster. The image portrayed Marlon Brando embracing Maria Schneider from behind, while she stood naked and with a buttered piece of bread in her hand. This poster was deemed so scandalous that it was banned in Italy and the UK. Yikes!

Moving on to something a bit more recent, let's talk about the 2019 movie, The Hustlers. The poster featured Jennifer Lopez and Constance Wu, both dressed in revealing outfits, posing in front of a large bill with the words "You Can't Stop What's Coming" on it. The poster was deemed too risqué for use in the US and was instead replaced with a more subdued version. Sorry J-Lo fans!

Now, let's talk about a poster that was banned not for its risqué content, but for its potential to incite political unrest. The 2012 movie, Zero Dark Thirty, was banned in Pakistan due to its depiction of torture by US forces. However, the poster featuring a large redacted "X" over the mouth of Jessica Chastain, who played a CIA agent in the film, was also banned in the US as it was seen as too inflammatory.

And finally, let's talk about a poster that caused controversy not because of its content, but because of a mistake made during production. The 2016 movie, Loving, is based on the true story of an interracial couple in Virginia in the 1960s. The original poster featured the two leads, Joel Edgerton and Ruth Negga, sitting on a porch together. Unfortunately, the colors of their skin were drastically altered to make them appear more Caucasian. Once this mistake was noticed, the poster was quickly replaced with a more appropriate version.

So, there you have it! Movie posters may seem like harmless advertising but can cause a stir for various reasons. Who knows what the next controversial poster will be, but you can bet I'll be keeping my eyes peeled!