Controversial Barbie Image Sparks Outrage and Countrywide Ban

The upcoming Barbie movie, directed by Greta Gerwig and starring Margot Robbie as the iconic Mattel doll, has been officially banned in one country. A shot from the film, which showcases the "nine-dash line," is responsible for this ban. The shot in question has been shared on Twitter by Lmao gan ma.

This line is used on Chinese maps to demarcate territory in the South China Sea that Vietnam and China both claim as their own.

Barbie's Vietnam Ban Explained

The South China Sea is divided by the controversial nine-dash line, a U-shaped boundary on maps, which designates approximately 90% of the region as Chinese territory. Although an international tribunal in The Hague concluded in 2016 that China lacks a legal basis for these claims, the Chinese government has yet to acknowledge or accept the ruling. Despite this, China persists in constructing military bases and forcefully asserting its dominance in the area, leading to ongoing contention surrounding this issue.

The movie Barbie, like last year's Uncharted starring Tom Holland, has been banned in Vietnam due to its depiction of the nine-dash line. The Philippines is reportedly considering a similar ban, while Malaysia has yet to express its stance on the matter. Although Warner Bros. has not commented on the issue, it is evident that releasing the movie in China would be economically advantageous. While the Chinese box office earnings for Hollywood films have declined, China remains a significant market for international movie releases. Considering the controversy surrounding the scene featuring a cartoonish map, one might question its necessity in the film.

Source: @rzhongnotes/ Twitter