Sony and Wayfarer Studios’ romance drama "It Ends With Us," starring Blake Lively, has been barred from theatrical release in Qatar due to scenes involving kissing, according to sources.
Qatar’s Censorship Committee, responsible for approving films for theater screenings, made the decision. Despite the film’s PG-13 rating, which addresses themes of domestic abuse and a woman's struggle in a toxic relationship, it did not pass censorship. Qatar, a predominantly Muslim nation located on the northeastern coast of the Arabian Peninsula, has a history of restricting certain Hollywood films.
This ban is in line with Qatar's previous blocks on other major Hollywood releases like "Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse," "Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness," and "Eternals," as well as female-focused films like "Barbie," "Anyone But You," "No Hard Feelings," and "West Side Story."
Despite the ban, "It Ends With Us" is anticipated to perform strongly at the box office in other regions, with projections of $40M-$50M for its opening weekend after a solid $7M in Thursday previews. The film, based on Colleen Hoover’s novel, may even challenge the box office lead held by Ryan Reynolds' "Deadpool & Wolverine."
In the U.S., the film attracted a predominantly female audience (82%) on its opening night, has garnered $18M in advance ticket sales, and received positive feedback with 4 1/2 stars in Screen Engine/Comscore PostTrak ratings and a 95% audience score on Rotten Tomatoes.
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