The UK’s Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) has come after Disney for running a Predator: Badlands ad deemed too “disturbing” for young children.
The digital poster features young Predator outcast Dek (Dimitrius Schuster-Koloamatangi) holding the top half of Thia’s (Elle Fanning) android body.
Deadline reports that Disney has been banned from running the ad in its current form after the ASA ruled that it was likely to “cause fear or distress for young children.”
The ASA said it received two complaints about the ad from people who were concerned it was “inappropriate and disturbing” for children.
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Disney defended the promo, arguing that it had been prepared with a “sense of responsibility.” The company also noted that the severed body was that of a synthetic robot, not a human.
The ASA responded: “Whilst we acknowledged 20th Century Studio’s comment that the smaller figure was not actually a human, but rather a ‘synth’ robot, we considered that was not clear from the ad, and that the figure was likely to be interpreted as a human. We further considered that the realistic depiction of the smaller figure’s severed torso and exposed spine was gory and likely to be disturbing to younger children.”
A Disney spokesperson said: “We acknowledge the ASA’s ruling. We take our responsibilities to audiences very seriously and strive to work closely with partners to meet the required standards.”
Predator: Badlands hit theaters in November and went on to become the franchise’s highest-grossing entry with $184.5 million worldwide. It arrives on Hulu tomorrow and physical media on February 17.
Dan Trachtenberg (Prey, 10 Cloverfield Lane) directs from a script written by Patrick Aison (Prey) and Brian Duffield (Love and Monsters).