The Barbie movie won’t be seen in movie theaters in Vietnam.
The highly anticipated Warner Bros. flick, which was set to be released in the country on July 21, will no longer be screening.
According to Variety, the Greta Gerwig-directed film features a scene that showcases a map with the “nine dash line,” representing China’s territorial claims in the South China Sea, which Vietnam says violates its sovereignty.
Vi Kien Thanh, director general of the Vietnam Cinema Department under the Ministry of Culture, Sports, and Tourism, said the ban was decided by the National Film Evaluation Council, via Variety.
“We do not grant license for the American movie ‘Barbie’ to release in Vietnam because it contains the offending image of the nine-dash line,” said the state-run Tuoi Tre newspaper, also referencing Vi Kien Thanh.
Several films in recent years were banned for the same reason, including Unchartered and Abominable.
At the same time, the movie just had its premiere in another Asian country over the weekend.