Badlands’ Ad With Severed Robo-Body

What you see here is an image from the film Predator: Badlands. It’s of a Predator named Dek (Dimitrius Schuster-Koloamatangi), holding the top half of a synthetic being named Thia (Elle Fanning). It’s from a film that is rated PG-13 in the U.S. and doesn’t have one drop of human blood in it. Now, does this image scare you? Does it offend you? Do you find it “inappropriate” or “disturbing?” If the answer to any of those questions is “yes,” you’re about to be very happy.

Deadline reports that Disney, which released the film Predator: Badlands, has been banned from running an ad for the film that includes an image of a severed body (the above image, we believe) because it’s likely to “cause fear or distress for young children.” The Advertising Standards Authority, a United Kingdom-based organization, reportedly received two complaints (yes, two complaints) about the ad, saying it was “inappropriate and disturbing” for kids. In the UK, Badlands is rated “12” for “moderate violence, threat, injury detail.” So even younger than in the U.S.

In response, Disney explained that the image was on screen for less than two seconds and does not show a human character, but rather a “synth.”

The ASA replied that “Whilst we acknowledged [the 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.”

“We acknowledge the ASA’s ruling,” a Disney spokesperson told Deadline. “We take our responsibilities to audiences very seriously and strive to work closely with partners to meet the required standards.”

Ultimately, at this point, it’s not really a huge deal. Predator: Badlands is gone from theaters, and while it is currently promoting its home release, that rarely involves highly visible ad placements. Plus, even if it does, Disney can do so without using the “severed body” image. And while the ASA is correct that, if that image pops up and you know nothing about the movie, you are probably going to assume it’s human, isn’t this all a bit of an overreaction? Is the creature with giant, sharp teeth not even scarier? What about the massive killer monsters?

Let us know if you think the severed body image is disturbing and inappropriate. And see much more disturbing and inappropriate things in Predator: Badlands, now on digital, available to stream on Hulu and Disney+ February 12 and on Blu-ray, 4K, and DVD February 17.

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