45 movies that were banned in cinemas around the world, from 300 to Shrek 2

And the reasons why

Since the dawn of time – well, the start of cinema – many films have been banned in certain countries due to various reasons.

Thanks to strict laws or conflicting beliefs, censors from all around the world – China, Ireland, Lebanon, to name just a few – continue to work hard determining whether new releases are fit to be screened in cinemas.

While some titles, including graphic horror films The Texas Chain Saw Massacre and The Human Centipede 2, get banned for obvious reasons, there is a long history of unexpected features – such as Disney releases and inoffensive superhero films – that failed to make the cut.

Below is a roundup of the 45 films you never realised were banned – from The Lady of Heaven to Beauty and The Beast – and the reasons why.

Scroll through the gallery to see what made the list.