Filmmaker Lee Cronin has a phenomenal response to the recent ban of the purportedly “graphic” posters of The Mummy. Notably, the UK Advertising Standards Authority earlier deemed that the outdoor poster ads for the movie didn’t meet its standards for depicting “a realistic impression of a dead child.”
Lee Cronin’s response to The Mummy’s UK ad ban is pure horror comedy
Lee Cronin took to Instagram to share his response to the ban. He posted a screenshot of an article reporting on the ban. Cronin wrote in the caption, “I hate to spoil the party, but she’s already inside your home on @hbomax.”
The artwork in question features Natalie Grace’s Katie Cannon, the eponymous mummy, looking particularly unwell. However, her circumstances are similar in the movie
The UK Advertising Standards Authority earlier noted, “The ASA received 30 complaints, many of whom believed the ads were distressing for children and adults” (via Variety). According to the regulating body, the posters were placed at untargeted locations. This includes the London Underground and a site visible from a children’s nursery. Accordingly, the ASA decided the imagery caused distress among children and that the posters are unfit for outdoor display, per CAP Code rules 1.3 and 4.2.
A separate complaint alleged that the posters trivialized child loss or ongoing global conflicts, but the ASA rejected it.
Meanwhile, Warner Bros., the official distributor of the movie, claimed that the character’s state on the poster was a deliberate choice, arguing that the intention was to reduce stress.
Cronin wrote and directed the movie. It debuted in UK theaters in mid-April. The movie has garnered a 45% approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes and made a little over $90 million at the global box office.
As Cronin notes in his post, the movie is currently available on HBO Max. The controversy surrounding it will likely boost its performance on the platform.
Originally reported by Tamal Kundu for Coming Soon.
