Marvel’s latest film Black Panther: Wakanda Forever is lighting up the box office this past weekend with $180 Million in North America and $330 Million worldwide. The sequel to the 2018 smash hit is definitely brining in the numbers. However, one major film market may not see the latest installment of the MCU.



According to multiple outlets it is currently believed that Black Panther: Wakanda Forever will be banned from release in China. The country was usually seen as a major market with an estimated population of 1.412 Billion. But in recent history many of Disney’s films have been barred from theatrical release in the country.



Multiple Marvel films such as 2021’s The Eternals and 2022’s Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness and Thor Love & Thunder never saw a release. Pixar’s 2022 animated film Lightyear was also banned with the upcoming Disney animated film Strange World also expected to not see release. 

The main reason contributing to these films not releasing in China is due to same-sex relationships as the country looks down on such practices. Black Panther: Wakanda Forever features a same-sex relationship between Michaela Coel’s Aneka and Florence Kasumba’s Ayo. 



In fact the first Black Panther film was meant to have a same-sex kiss between Ayo and Diana Gurira’s Okoye, but the scene was removed before release due to fears of not releasing overseas.



Even with a Chinese box office release, the original 2018 film didn’t do that well financially as it only made $104 Million out of the film’s worldwide $1.344 Billion. Not to mention the controversy surrounding censorship involving the movie’s poster. 

Despite all this the film did have an edited version made so that it could release in Kuwait, so there is still a chance for a release. But with the current track record of recent Marvel films being rejected it is unlikely it will receive a release.

Source: The Star