The People’s Republic of China, which is the planet’s most populated country, and fourth-largest country in terms of area, is notoriously strict on what it allows its citizens to consume. If the country’s government deems something too inappropriate or counterculture, it will simply ban that something outright.
The latest product to have its Chinese visa torn up is the highly-anticipated Marvel Comics blockbuster Deadpool.
From the get-go, the team behind Deadpool have made it their mission to keep the film true to the comics—to pack it to the edges with all the violence, bad language and nudity that fans of “The Merc’ with a Mouth” have come to adore. In North America, this has resulted in the film being branded with an R-rating. In China, however, no such rating system exists. A film is either fit for all viewers, or fit for none. In the case of Deadpool, China has decided the latter is true. The hotly-anticipated hero flick will not be released in the country.
Given that China is the world’s second-largest film market, this development has got to sting for 20th Century Fox, the company behind the film. That said, it can’t be that surprising either. China has a long history of banning things the rest of the world loves.
Here are a few other things the country has banned in the past:
Google: If you find yourself in China with an important question, you can forget about doing a Google Search, as the search engine has been banned in the country for several years. Granted, the country has its own search engines, such as Baidu, but these are heavily monitored.
Facebook and Twitter: Facebook and Twitter provide a great way for people to share information, organize, and mobilize—exactly what the Chinese Government doesn’t want. For these reasons, the two popular social networks are blocked in the country.
The Big Bang Theory: Despite their initial popularity among Chinese viewers, popular shows like The Good Wife, NCIS, The Practice and even The Big Bang Theory are now banned in the country. This means that viewers are forced to rely on locally-produced programming.
Jasmine Flowers: In late 2010, citizens of Tunisia engaged in a massive protest which ultimately resulted in the ejection of the country’s long-time president, Zine El Abidine Ben Ali. The historic political shakeup was nicknamed The Jasmine Revolution, and apparently struck fear into the hearts of China’s rulers. Their response? The excision of the flower from the country’s culture altogether.
Brad Pitt: Not surprisingly, China’s government was not a fan of the film Seven Years in Tibet. As a result, the film, its director Jean-Jacques Annaud, and its leading man Brad Pitt were all barred from the country. And while the Annaud-ban has since been lifted, the verdict is still out on the male half of Brangelina.
The Chinese government is notoriously rigid in what it allows to cross its borders. Unfortunately for the country’s citizens, the latest item on its ever growing ban-list is the universally-anticipated film Deadpool, which stars Ryan Reynolds and is scheduled for North American release on February 12.
