Darren Aronofsky’s ‘Noah’ Already Banned In Three Countries, Paramount Confirms

Director Darren Aronofsky’s Noah is facing a considerable amount of backlash ahead of its release later this month.

According to the folks at Paramount Pictures, three Arab countries have prevented Noah from screening in the region due to the film’s content. According to Reuters, Qatar, Bahrain, and the United Arab Emirates officially banned the flick earlier this week. Paramount Pictures believes Egypt, Jordan, and Kuwait will likely follow suit.

Since Darren Aronofsky’s Noah contradicts the teachings of Islam, the movie probably won’t screen in those countries anytime soon. In fact, Al-Azhar issued a fatwa against the motion picture.

“Al-Azhar renews its objection to any act depicting the messengers and prophets of God and the companions of the Prophet (Mohammad), peace be upon him,” an official statement explained.

In addition to irritating the Arab community, Aronofsky also offended Christians by taking several liberties with the original tale. According to The Wrap, a leaked script prompted many to wonder if Darren was using the Biblical tale to spin an environmental yarn.

“‘Noah’ paints the primeval world of Genesis 6 as scorched arid desert, dry cracked earth, and a gray gloomy sky that gives no rain — and all this, caused by man’s ‘disrespect’ for the environment. In short, an anachronistic doomsday scenario of ancient global warming,” Brian Godawa wrote after reading the script.

Since Paramount Pictures wants as many people to see Noah in theaters as humanly possible, they reportedly changed up some of the marketing materials behind Aronofsky’s back. However, neither the studio nor the director have officially addressed the situation as of this writing.

When the $130 million epic hits the big screen in the US on March 28, it will carry a disclaimer approved by the National Religious Broadcasters. The message reads:

“The film is inspired by the story of Noah. While artistic license has been taken, we believe that this film is true to the essence, values, and integrity of a story that is a cornerstone of faith for millions of people worldwide. The biblical story of Noah can be found in the book of Genesis.”

If Darren Aronofsky used the story of Noah to warn people about the dangers of environmental disasters, then it should come as no surprise to those familiar with the filmmaker’s ideals. Aronofsky is so environmentally conscious that he reportedly banned bottled water from the set, which caused some of his actors and actresses to get sick.

“Everything we used had to be recycled or recyclable. Having no water bottles on set at five in the morning, when you’re exhausted and delirious, wasn’t ideal,” star Emma Watson said of Aronofsky’s decision.

She added, “I was so tired one morning I picked up a mug from my trailer and drank some stagnant water that had been there for the duration — so three months. I was so ill.”

Are you surprised that Darren Aronofsky’s Noah is already banned in three countries ahead of its release?

[Image via Collider]