Wonder Woman Has Officially Been Banned In Lebanon

Things just got a little less wonderful for superhero fans in Lebanon. Variety reports that the country has officially banned screenings of Wonder Woman just hours before they were supposed to begin because star Gal Gadot is Israeli.

Gadot was born in Israel and served in the Israeli Defense Forces as a combat trainer as part of the mandatory military service all Israeli citizens participate in. Lebanon is officially at war with Israel and has for decades had laws that boycott Israeli products and prevent Lebanese citizens from traveling to Israel or having contact with Israelis. Despite that, marketing for Wonder Woman had already gotten underway in the country, with at least one theater in Beirut scheduling an advance screening for Wednesday. There have also been posters and billboards featured in the capital city. 

As previously reported, the Campaign to Boycott Supporters of Israel-Lebanon had been pushing for the film to be banned, citing Gadot's military service and her support of Israel's military policies in the Gaza Strip as a reason for the boycott's necessity. None of the Fast and the Furious sequel films featuring Gadot were banned in Lebanon; Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice, which introduced Gadot's Diana, was also shown, although the group called for that film to be boycotted as well.

The film was apparently set for its first screening in just a couple hours; however, theater chains began announcing on their Twitter feeds that the ban had been instated, leading to cancelations. The ban was decided at the recommendation of a six-member Ministry of Economy committee. According to The Hollywood Reporter, the ban isn't likely to affect Wonder Woman's overseas haul, as the film was only set to play in 15 locations.

Here is the synopsis for Wonder Woman: Before she was Wonder Woman, she was Diana, princess of the Amazons, trained to be an unconquerable warrior. Raised on a sheltered island paradise, when an American pilot crashes on their shores and tells of a massive conflict raging in the outside world, Diana leaves her home, convinced she can stop the threat. Fighting alongside man in a war to end all wars, Diana will discover her full powers... and her true destiny.

Wonder Woman, which also stars Chris Pine, Lucy Davis, Connie Nielsen, Robin Wright, Danny Huston, Elena Anaya, and David Thewlis, is due out in the United States on Friday; while we wait, see some Easter eggs you may have missed in the film's trailer.