Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker‘s same-sex kiss, the first in the franchise and but a fleeting moment between two inconsequential characters near the end of the film, has been cut for broadcast in Singapore and the United Arab Emirates.
The BBC reports: “Singapore's media regulatory body told the BBC that Disney cut the scene so it didn't get a higher age rating. ‘The applicant has omitted a brief scene which under the film classification guidelines would require a higher rating,' said a spokesperson from IMDA. Without the kiss, the film is rated PG13 in Singapore.”
The Hollywood Reporter on the UAE cut: “Given that the United Arab Emirates is largely more tolerant than its neighbors when it comes to film censorship and Dubai's status as the regional hub for the entertainment industry, it is thought that this cut will be replicated across the Middle East.”
China's censors have reportedly let the kiss stay.
