There's just few more days for Spider-Man: Brand New Day to release and fans of the franchise and Tom Holland will officially be ending a four-year-long wait to see the new film in theatres. However, even before its release, the superhero film has stirred controversy after the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) in India removed intimate visuals and a few 'obscene words' from it, angering fans.
Ahead of Spider-Man: Brand New Day's premiere, the CBFC made three key changes to the movie, clearing it for a UA rating suitable for family audiences with parental guidance. In their report, CBFC had mentioned that they have deleted a kissing scene, besides muting and removing various strong words and objectionable language across the film's English soundtrack and subtitle tracks. They have also included a static message of anti-liquor health warning during scenes where characters indulge in alcohol consumption.
Since the news broke out, social media users have been up in arms, expressing their disapproval over the CBFC's modifications to the film. Previously, the board had also removed similar visuals from recent popular movies like Obsession and James Gunn's Superman, garnering criticism from film enthusiasts.
Scheduled to release in theatres on July 30 in India, Spider-Man: Brand New Day will begin on the heels of the previous film, Spider-Man: No Way Home, which ended with Doctor Strange (Benedict Cumberbatch) casting a spell over the world, to make everyone forget Peter Parker (Tom Holland), in order to protect his identity as Spider-Man. This includes his close friends MJ and Ned (Zendaya and Jacob Batalon). Directed by Destin Daniel Cretton, the film is his second MCU project after Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings.
The film's logline reads, "It’s a brand new day for Peter Parker. Fighting crime full-time as Spider-Man in a world that doesn’t remember him—and the pressure of seeing his old friends move on without him—sparks a change in Peter he may not have the power to control. But that transformation might also be the only thing that can stop a shocking new threat to the city and those he loves – a powerful villain no one can even see. The world may have forgotten Peter Parker, but he hasn’t forgotten them."
Besides Holland, Zendaya and Batalon, the film also stars Jon Bernthal as Frank Castle/The Punisher, while Mark Ruffalo will return as Bruce Banner/The Hulk. Along with Ruffalo, Michael Mando, who was seen in an end credits scene for Spider-Man: Homecoming, will reprise his role as the villain Scorpion. Liza Colon-Zayas, known for The Bear, Tramell Tillman (Severance) and Marvin Jones III (Tombstone) are also part of the cast. The role of Sadie Sink, who plays a key character in the movie, has been kept a secret.