Why did Barbie The Movie got banned in Vietnam?

It’s not officially out yet but the anticipated and much-awaited live-action movie adaptation of Barbie is facing huge financial after the film is reportedly being banned in Vietnam. Warner Bros.’ Barbie is one of the studio’s biggest projects in 2023 and one that has had fans eagerly waiting for. But, various reports suggest that this film probably won’t see the light of day in Vietnamese theaters.

The main reason why Barbie is getting banned in Vietnam is due to a political dispute involving the “nine-dash line” depicted in the movie

Unfortunately for the Vietnamese audience who would love to see Barbie and Ken hit the silver screen this summer, that most likely wouldn’t happen. Vietnamese journalist Nguyên Lê shared on Twitter that Barbie the movie will not be showing in Vietnam theaters due to “offensive political imagery”. Surprisingly, it wasn’t Ryan Gosling’s controversial portrayal of Ken.

Courtesy of Nguyên Lê (via Twitter)

Le also pointed out what that political issue was and unbeknownst to those who have seen the trailer, it was a subtle depiction of the infamous “nine-dash line”. These lines were specifically on a map of the real world as shown in a scene in the movie. With that, a very minor detail wasn’t very minor after all. The nine-dash line is a political dispute that has been going on for years, even going back many centuries. Earlier this week, Vietnam confirmed that the government will boycott the release of Barbie in theaters on July 21. But, Barbie wouldn’t be the first to suffer such consequences. Uncharted (2022) and Abominable (2019) were also banned in Vietnam after portraying the said line in the movie.

Courtesy of Nguyên Lê (via Twitter)

Courtesy of Nguyên Lê (via Twitter)

What is the “nine-dash line”?

The Chinese government has been holding on to the belief that their nation owns about 90% of the South China Sea. During the Second World War, the U-shaped dashed line was formerly made up of 11 lines. China’s claim to the territory is mostly because of “historical rights and evidence”. However, two were given up later in the 1950s. Although, the People’s Republic of China claim the majority of the property, it also encompasses other Asian nation such as Vietnam, the Philippines, Brunei, and Malaysia. These countries have been in long-running disputes with China since the foundation of the nine-dash line.

Screengrab Courtesy of CNBC International (via YouTube)

Well, it’s not surprising that China would want to take hold of the South China Sea. For starters, this huge body of water is home to billions of barrels of fossil fuels as well as an unfathomable amount of natural gas. Not only that, but the South China Sea is also a massive shipping passage, making up a third of global maritime trade every year. Lastly, it’s a fishing and marine life oasis. China has been making huge moves as they try to take what they believe is theirs. In recent years, they started making their own islands and taking control of the seas. But, in 2016, an International Tribunal voted against China’s claims of most of the South China Sea. Despite that, China neglected everything.

How could this affect Barbie’s international box office performance? Feel free to share your thoughts in the comments below. For more content, stay with us here at Spiel Times. Make sure you subscribe to our push notifications and never miss an update. You can also follow us on Spiel Anime, Twitter, Instagram, and YouTube. Until next time!