After coming under fire in the US for its moody portrayal of the biblical protagonist, NOAH has been banned from release in several Middle Eastern countries.
Censorship boards in Bahrain, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates have announced that they will prohibit the release of Darren Aronofsky’s latest film, as Russell Crowe’s depiction of Noah goes against Islamic law which bans the portrayal of prophets. This announcement comes just weeks before its release, with Egypt expected to follow. Al-Azhar, a Sunni Muslim institute, released a statement:
‘Al-Azhar renews its rejection to the screening of any production that characterizes Allah’s prophets and messengers and the companions of the Prophet. Therefore, Al-Azhar announces the prohibition of the upcoming film about the Allah’s messenger Noah – peace be upon him’.
However, this comes as no surprise to Paramount, as they’ve said they knew that the film would antagonize certain Islamic countries.
Whatever happens, NOAH is set for release in the US from 28th March, closely followed by the UK on 4th April. It co-stars Jennifer Connelly, Emma Watson, Logan Lerman, Anthony Hopkins, Douglas Booth and Ray Winstone.
Source: The Hollywood Reporter
