Margot Robbie starrer Barbie banned in Vietnam over South China Sea map

Margot Robbie and Ryan Gosling starrer Barbie is one of the most anticipated movies of the summer. The film is set to release on July 21. Amid the worldwide promotions and premieres, the movie has been banned in Vietnam over South China Sea map. Director General of the Vietnam Cinema Department under the Ministry of Culture, Sports, and Tourism, Vi Kien Thanh, said on Monday that the ban on Barbie was decided by the National Film Evaluation Council.

Margot Robbie starrer Barbie banned in Vietnam over South China Sea map

“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 Vi Kien Thanh to the local newspaper Tuoi Tre.

As reported by Variety, “The film contains a scene that depicts a map with the nine-dash line, revealed a representation of China’s territorial claims in the South China Sea, which Vietnam says violates its sovereignty.”

Barbie has a total of 11 Barbies and 5 Kens including Emma Mackey, Issa Rae, Hari Nef, Alexandra Shipp, Simu Liu, Scott Evans, Ncuti Gatwa, Nicola Coughlan, Emerald Fennell, Kate McKinnon and more.

Greta Gerwig directed Barbie from a screenplay by Gerwig & Oscar nominee Noah Baumbach based on Barbie by Mattel. The film’s producers are Oscar nominee David Heyman, Robbie, Tom Ackerley and Robbie Brenner, with Gerwig, Baumbach, Ynon Kreiz, Richard Dickson, Michael Sharp, Josey McNamara, Courtenay Valenti, Toby Emmerich and Cate Adams serving as executive producers.

The film will be distributed worldwide by Warner Bros. Pictures and released in theaters only nationwide on July 21, 2023 and beginning internationally on July 19, 2023.