Disney poster banned for featuring a 'severed spine'

A digital poster promoting the action film Predator: Badlands, which depicted a character with a "severed spine", has been ordered to be removed by the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA).

The advert featured an alien figure holding a smaller person, described by the ASA as resembling a human, who had been severed in two with their bottom half missing and spine exposed. The alien was also shown with a sword, a disc-like weapon moving towards the viewer, and the tagline "welcome to a world of hurt". The poster culminated in a cartoon-style image of what the ASA identified as "the torso of a woman" with "wires protruding from her bottom half".

The Walt Disney Company, responsible for distributing and marketing the 20th Century Studios film, argued that the severed character was not human but a robot, "visually distinct from a human". Disney claimed the figure’s partial body "emphasised its non-human nature" and appeared for less than two seconds in the advert, which was designed for a 12A audience, matching the film’s certification. The company stated it "did not consider the character or imagery in the ad was likely to cause particular harm or offence, given the film’s rating and the brief, stylised nature of the scene".

However, the ASA ruled that as the poster was displayed outdoors, it was "likely to be seen by people of all ages", and instructed Disney and 20th Century Studios that "care needed to be taken" to ensure its suitability for all.

In its ruling, the ASA stated: "We considered the alien appeared menacing, the scene depicted violence and implied that it had dismembered the smaller figure. Whilst we acknowledged 20th Century Studios’ 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." The authority added that the "realistic depiction of the smaller figure’s severed torso and exposed spine was gory and likely to be disturbing to younger children."

The ASA concluded that further elements of the advert were also "disturbing and frightening" to children, deeming the ad "likely to frighten and cause distress to some children, was therefore unsuitable for display" in public. The regulator found the Predator advert in breach of its code and prohibited its reappearance in its current form.

The ruling followed complaints from two individuals who found the poster "inappropriate and disturbing" for young children and "unsuitable for outdoor display".

A Disney spokesperson commented: "We acknowledge the ASA’s ruling. We take our responsibilities to audiences seriously and strive to work closely with partners to meet required standards."

Predator: Badlands, starring Dimitrius Schuster-Koloamatangi and Elle Fanning, was released in UK cinemas last year and is the latest instalment in the sci-fi franchise, which began with the original 1987 film featuring Arnold Schwarzenegger.