When all is said and done, we may end up with more versions of Zack Snyder’s Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice then we know what to do with. There’s going to be the PG-13 version that Warner Bros. drops in theaters. We’ve heard that there will be an R-rated version that will be included on the DVD. And now, Indian censors are reporting that the version shown in India will scrub out one scene of "a fleeting nude figure."
Shouldn’t Superman’s cape cover his bare butt? Alright, I’m speculating that it’s Henry Cavill in the buff that’s causing an uproar in India. Right now, all we know is that DNA India reports that in order to achieve the audience-friendly rating of UA – or "suitable for underage viewers accompanied by an adult" – Snyder’s Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice had to make "one visual cut" of a very specific nature. But it was vital to the film’s eventual success. As a source tells the media outlet:
The CBFC (Central Board of Film Certification) was very keen that the film be seen by youngsters. But some of the content isn’t completely suitable for viewing by underage audiences. While the violence is done in the spirit of a comicbook adventure, the film was rated UA (suitable for underage viewers accompanied by an adult), with just one visual cut... of a fleeting nude figure.
Are you sure we aren’t talking about Gone Girl here? C’mon Ben Affleck. Keep it in your shorts, sir! This new movie’s for the "youngsters!"
This isn’t the first time that a Hollywood film had to go under the knife in order to gain a more favorable rating in India. The gloriously R-rated Deadpool, which is raking in money in all territories, had to trim an undisclosed amount of footage in order to reach more audience members in India. And the latest James Bond movie, Spectre, was ordered to remove a kissing scene that was deemed "too excessive" for mainstream Indian audiences. They had no issue with Christoph Waltz’s hammy performance, though. Just the kissing.
We’re only a few weeks away from the release of Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice, which pits two of DC Comics’ mightiest heroes against each other in what we assume will begin as a miscommunication, eventually leading to the Caped Crusader (Ben Affleck) and the Man of Steel (Henry Cavill) forging an alliance in a sort of Justice League. The movie will have Batman, Superman and Wonder Woman (Gal Gadot) facing off against Lex Luthor (Jesse Eisenberg) and Doomsday… or, the DCEU version of the classic character. But it also will lay the foundation for multiple DC movies, starting with Suicide Squad in August and a solo Wonder Woman next year.
Shield your eyes from the "fleeting nude figure" when Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice opens in theaters on March 25.
