As fans of Winnie the Pooh are eagerly waiting for the release of the latest live-action movie, ‘Christopher Robin’, it looks like Chinese fans will be sorely disappointed as they won’t be able to see it in their country.
That’s because China, who is famed for having a tight control on their Internet and other forms of mass media, has banned the movie across the country.
Source: Comic Book
This new adaptation of Winnie the Pooh shows an adult Christopher Robin reuniting with his long lost buddy, but the movie is not allowed to be shown in China. Although there has not been any official explanation on the matter, the Hollywood Reporter states that a source told them it was likely due to China’s ban on the cuddly cartoon bear that began last year.
The reason for this unlikely ban? Apparently, China’s president Xi Jinping is not a fan of the honey-loving bear, after netizens started comparing him to Winnie the Pooh. This happened back in 2013 when a photo of Xi and Barack Obama circulated online and people compared a photo of them to another iconic pair.
Source: Vox
Source: Twitter
After that incident, Chinese netizens started making memes and joking around with Xi’s images which resulted in the lovable bear’s images and names being banned from Weibo, a popular Chinese social media platform. Previously in June, Chinese authorities blocked HBO after Last Week Tonight host John Oliver criticised Xi’s sensitivity over being compared to Winnie the Pooh.
John had said, “Clamping down on Winnie the Pooh comparisons doesn’t exactly project strength. It suggests a weird insecurity.”
Source: Vox
However, another source also claimed that the movie was banned as there may not be enough room in China’s foreign film quota at the moment.
Well, luckily it isn’t banned in Malaysia! Who else is excited to watch Christopher Robin when it’s released here?
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