
What you see here is an image from the film Predator: Badlands. It’s a Predator named Dek (Dimitrius Schuster-Koloamatangi), who holds the upper half of a synthetic creature. Thia (Elle Fanning). This is from a film rated PG-13 in the US and there is not a single drop of human blood in it. Now, are you scared of this picture? Does it offend you? Do you find it “inappropriate” or “disturbing?” If the answer to any of those questions is “yes,” you’re about to be happy.
The deadline reports that Disney, which released the film Predator: Badlands, is prohibited from running an ad for the film that includes an image of a mutilated body (the image above, we believe) because it is likely to “cause fear or distress to children.” The Advertising Standards Authority, an organization based in the United Kingdom, reportedly received two complaints (yes, two complaints) about the ad, saying it was “inappropriate and disturbing” for children. In the UK, Badlands rated “12” for “moderate violence, threats, damage details.” So much younger than the US
In response, Disney explained that the image was on the screen for less than two seconds and did not show a human character, but a “synth.”
The ASA responded that “While we (the studio) acknowledge the comment that the smaller figure is not a real person, but a ‘synth’ robot, we consider that the ad is ambiguous, and that the figure is likely to be interpreted as a person. We consider that the realistic depiction of the smaller figure with a dismembered body and is likely to be distracting to children.
“We recognize the ASA’s ruling,” a Disney spokesperson told Deadline. “We take our responsibilities to the audience very seriously and strive to work with partners to meet the necessary standards.”
In the end, at this point, it’s not really a big deal. Predator: Badlands is out of theaters, and while it’s currently promoting its home release, it rarely involves visible ad placements. Also, even if this were to happen, Disney could have done it without using the “mutilated body” image. And while ASA is right that, if that image pops up and you don’t know anything about the movie, you might think it’s human, isn’t it all a bit of an overreaction? Isn’t the creature with the giant, sharp teeth more terrifying? What about the big killer monsters?
Let us know if you think the cropped body image is disturbing and inappropriate. And see more disturbing and inappropriate things on Predator: Badlandsnow on digital, available to stream on Hulu and Disney+ February 12 and on Blu-ray, 4K, and DVD February 17.
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