It's now been officially confirmed that Taika Waititi's Thor: Love and Thunder will not be given a theatrical release in Malaysia.
Malaysian theater operator Golden Screen Cinemas (via Variety) has announced that the divisive Marvel Studios adventure has been denied a theatrical release in the country. This follows a recent report that the movie was expected to be "Indefinitely postponed."
“Dear valued customers, please be informed that Disney has updated that Marvel Studios’ Thor Love and Thunder will not be releasing in Malaysia after all. We appreciate your patience and we apologise for any inconvenience caused,” reads GSC's social media post.
No specific reason was given, but it's assumed that Love and Thunder's LGBTQ+ elements resulted in the ban. Although the movie doesn't feature anything like the same sex kiss from Eternals, for example, it is made clear that Valkyrie is, at the very least, bisexual, and Korg also talks about his "two dads" before settling down with a fella named Dwayne at the end of the film.
It's all very tame, really, but here we are.
Disney hasn't responded, but did confirm to the trade that the release will not go forward. Apparently, cuts were asked for which the studio refused to make.
Thor: Love and Thunder finds Thor (Chris Hemsworth) on a journey unlike anything he’s ever faced – a quest for inner peace. But his retirement is interrupted by a galactic killer known as Gorr the God Butcher (Christian Bale), who seeks the extinction of the gods. To combat the threat, Thor enlists the help of King Valkyrie (Tessa Thompson), Korg (Taika Waititi) and ex-girlfriend Jane Foster (Natalie Portman), who – to Thor’s surprise – inexplicably wields his magical hammer, Mjolnir, as the Mighty Thor.
Together, they embark upon a harrowing cosmic adventure to uncover the mystery of the God Butcher’s vengeance and stop him before it’s too late.
Directed by Waititi (Thor: Ragnarok, Jojo Rabbit) and produced by Kevin Feige and Brad Winderbaum, Thor: Love and Thunder is now playing in theaters.