'The Rise of Skywalker': First same-sex kiss in Star Wars franchise's history edited out in Singapore
One of the most talked-about scenes in 'Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker' has been edited out in Singapore. The 'Star Wars' franchise's first-ever same-sex scene will not be a part of the movie that will be screened in Singapore as homosexual relationship is illegal in the country. This was also done to retain PG-13 rating in the country.
According to a report in Deadline, the IMDA website cites PG13 as "Suitable for persons aged 13 and above but parental guidance is advised for children below 13."
A spokesperson for Singapore's media authority, the Infocomm Media Development Authority was quoted as saying to BBC, "The applicant has omitted a brief scene which under the film classification guidelines would require a higher rating."
The scene was also not shown in the United Arab Emirates, however, it was a part of the version that has been screened in China. At this point, it is also unclear what the rating in Singapore would have been had the scene was to be retained.
It must also be noted that the scene in question in itself is a blink and miss scene in which two women can be seen sharing a kiss in the background as the camera pans by really quickly and is in no way a part of the main narrative of the film. In fact, this scene has become a point of contention among fans, who have been arguing about why adding a scene of two women kissing in the background is not really representation, but a force fit.
It has also been reported that 'Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalkers' has earned $226.8M offshore and has in total, hit $433.4M as of Monday. The movie, however, has not been able to break through the market in China and has reportedly earned less than 'Han Solo'.