LONDON: The UAE’s Media Regulatory Office announced on Monday that Pixar’s “Lightyear” was not approved for screening in the country for violating media content standards. The animated film, scheduled for worldwide release on Thursday, features a scene involving a same-sex kiss between characters. The film “is not licensed for public screening in all cinemas in the UAE,” the office said in a tweet. “The office confirms that all films screened in cinemas across the country are subject to follow-up and evaluation before the date of screening to the public, to ensure the safety of the circulated content according to the appropriate age classification.” Starring Chris Evans as the voice of Buzz Lightyear, the new film is a spin-off of the hugely successful “Toy Story” series exploring the origin story of the Buzz Lightyear character. The UAE often censors materials that go against its media content standards, including homosexuality and other things deemed to “offend Islamic beliefs.” Films such as “West Side Story,” “Doctor Strange 2,” and “Eternals” were banned in various countries across the region, including the UAE, for including trans and homosexual characters. The UAE later removed the ban on “Doctor Strange 2,” opting instead for a 21+ rating. In December last year, the UAE announced that it would be ending the censorship of films that are released in cinemas, instead implementing a 21+ age classification policy. The decision meant that adult and explicit content would not be cut from film content.