Philippines To Allow ‘Barbie Movie Despite Chinese Map Controversy

The Philippines' Film and Television Review and Classification Board (MTRCB) said it will allow a new Barbie movie in the country's cinemas after reviewing a map of controversial scenes that critics say shows territory in the South China Sea claimed by China.

The MTRCB said it conducted two reviews of a scene in the Margot Robbie film, in which a cartoon map shows parts of the sea claimed by Vietnam as well as China. China uses a U-shaped line called the nine-dash line to show its claims to vast areas of the South China Sea.

As a result, Vietnam last week banned the release of the Barbie movie, which was due to hit theaters on July 21. Earlier this month, the MTRCB said it was considering the same move as Vietnam.

But the MTRCB said in a statement on Wednesday: “Given the context in which the film depicts the cartoon character Barbie Marvel, the Review Board is satisfied that the disputed scene does not constitute a 'nine-dot'.

"Instead, the card depicts Barbie's imaginary journey from Barbieland to the 'real world' as an integral part of the story," the statement said. But the MTRCB warned: "Please be assured that the Board has exhausted all possible resources to take this decision as we have never hesitated to fine a director/producer/distributor for displaying the fictitious 'nine-dash line' in their material."

In a statement to Variety last week, Warner Bros. Film Group called the postcard a "childish pencil drawing" that appeared in Barbie Country and said it "wasn't meant to be a statement".