Science fiction has been one of the most popular genres for many decades, but it also has a habit of cutting to the heart of societal issues. The basis of most sci-fi stories is examining the cross-section between humanity and technology, imagining speculative scenarios in which technological advancement or interplanetary life has an impact on the lives of normal human beings. The best sci-fi movies are able to entertain while also challenging their audience to consider their own existence a little more closely. While the banner of science fiction is broad and typically divided into many subgenres, the presence of potentially powerful narrative themes is almost always noticeable.
There are always great sci-fi movies nobody talks about, but there are also releases that seem to capture everybody’s attention. Unfortunately, this sometimes seems to upset figures of authority, with the movies undergoing additional scrutiny as a result. Over the years, this has led to some truly bizarre stories of sci-fi movies being banned, with the reasons why often as hilarious as they are strange.
7) The Hunger Games (2012)
As well as being considered one of the best sci-fi movies of the 2010s, The Hunger Games is one of the most successful dystopian stories of recent years. The movie that started the franchise was actually banned in Vietnam. Vietnamese censors believed that The Hunger Games‘ depiction of violence was too extreme, first resulting in a refusal to screen the adaptation of Suzanne Collins’ novel, and later in a full ban of the movie.
6) Akira (1988)
1988’s Akira is an incredible anime well ahead of its time, and is considered a hugely influential movie on both sci-fi and anime. Despite its iconic status and exceptional reputation, the movie was banned in Russia as recently as 2021. This was due to concerns from state prosecutors that Akira could be harmful to the mental and moral development of minors. It was one of many casualties in a bizarre war on anime by Russia, outlawing the classic animated sci-fi movie.
5) Mad Max (1979)
The Mad Max franchise is known for cool vehicles, violence, and its unique spin on post-apocalyptic action. Its 1979 release was met with bans in both New Zealand and Sweden, due to a scene in which a man is burned alive inside his car. The ban was due to a similar incident involving a gang in New Zealand at the time. New Zealand lifted its ban on Mad Max in 1983, but it remained in force in Sweden until 2005.
4) District 9 (2009)
District 9 is one of the best dystopian sci-fi movies of the 21st century, with its mockumentary format delivering a powerful examination of xenophobia and social segregation. It was also banned in Nigeria, due to a belief that the movie portrayed Nigerians as cannibals, criminals, and prostitutes, according to Information Minister Dora Akunyili. After Sony Pictures delivered the Nigerian government an apology, the ban on District 9 was lifted.
3) Back To The Future (1985)
Image Courtesy of Universal
Back to the Future is one of the most iconic sci-fi movies of all time, but not everyone believed its time-travelling story was worthy of praise. In 2011, China decided to ban stories involving time travel, including Back to the Future. According to Chinese regulators, time travel disregards the importance of past events, which is thought to lead to the spread of forbidden ideas. This, according to Chinese officials, makes Back to the Future dangerous to the fabric of Chinese society.
2) The Matrix Reloaded (2003)
Once considered a complete sci-fi movie masterpiece, 2003’s The Matrix Reloaded isn’t quite as popular today as it was upon release. However, at the time of its release, it was banned in Egypt, as there were concerns that its narrative ideas about creation and the nature of free will could cause existential crises, and that its violent scenes could be detrimental to social peace. The ban was eventually lifted, and Egyptian sci-fi fans were able to see the movie. There were no confirmed reports of a spike in existential crises in the immediate wake of its release, either.
1) A Clockwork Orange (1971)
A Clockwork Orange is one of the most notoriously banned movies in cinematic history. Its sci-fi depiction of extreme acts of violence was cited as inspiring copycat crimes, leading to the movie being withdrawn from British cinemas at director Stanley Kubrick’s request. It was also banned in Argentina, Brazil, Ireland, Malta, South Africa, and Spain for similar reasons. Many of these countries didn’t lift the ban until after Kubrick’s death, which came almost thirty years after its release.
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