Arthur Curry (Jason Momoa) and Mera's (Amber Heard) kiss during the third act underwater battle in Aquaman may have been cut in Indonesia and Saudi Arabia. The change was made on account of censorship laws.
While Aquaman's core was the love story between Atlanna (Nicole Kidman) and Thomas Curry (Temuera Morrison), the film also kicked off the romantic connection between the future king and queen of Atlantis, Arthur and Mera. The young couple started on the wrong note with a contentious relationship stemming from their strong individual personalities, but as they spent more time together, Arthur and Mera proved to be a formidable team. As for the film itself - a certified global box office hit, making it the highest-grossing DCEU movie internationally with $900 million - it's safe to say that fans around the world enjoyed the latest superhero project from Warner Bros. However, some may not have been able to see Aquaman in its full glory with Arthur and Mera's memorable kiss reportedly cut in some countries.
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Rereleases News reports that Aquaman's big kiss between Arthur and Mera is reportedly removed for censorship in both Saudi Arabia and Indonesia. Citing several social media posts from movie viewers, some fans who might have heard about the climactic kiss were clueless after their respective screenings skipped this moment. Those who have seen the full version of confirmed the existence of the scene, making those who missed it that much more frustrated.
What makes the supposed censorship more controversial is the fact that shorter kisses between Atlanna and Thomas Curry were kept in the movie. The move may have been understandable from Saudi Arabia, which has always been known to have strict entertainment laws and even banned cinemas for 35 years (only lifted last year), but Indonesian fans seem to be particularly irked. The mandate in Indonesia is believed to be from the State Agency, Lembaga Sensor Film (Film Censorship Institute) which screens films, TV series, and even advertisements in the country for its appropriateness of the material with regard to their established standards. The government department's website lists down the film's runtime as 142 minutes, whereas its full version clocks at 143 minutes and 8 seconds. Chances are that Arthur and Mera's kiss was deemed to be too long compared to other ones in the flick, prompting it to be cut from the film. Perhaps the fact that that it was also significantly more passionate was also a factor in the Institute's decision.
Cutting Arthur and Mera's kiss may not have radically changed Aquaman, but missing that moment on the big screen is frustrating for fans who have been waiting for that moment - only for it to never arrive on screen. The attraction and romantic tension between the couple was apparent throughout the whole film, so it's understandably unsatisfying for some viewers to not see it come to fruition. The fact that the shot itself was particularly beautiful makes it that much more of a disappointment.
More: Aquaman Shows Why Mera Should Be Queen of Atlantis
Source: Rerelease News
