‘Noah’ way! Movie blocked in China, banned by Muslim nations

Production company Paramount Pictures tried hard to cast its “Noah” movie in a secular light, stressing its “environmental message” over biblical truths — but apparently, censors in China weren’t buying it.

The epic movie was banned for show in China. That follows a long line of Muslim nations that have turned back from showing the film, too, the Los Angeles Times reported. Malaysia, for example, has called the film “anti-Islamic” and refused to show it, along with Egypt, Indonesia and the United Arab Emirates.

Now, the film “will not release in China,” where open shows of religion are frowned upon, one source familiar with the issue told Agence France-Presse. Another source said in the same news outlet that the ban in China may in fact be due to the release of several other blockbusters in the nation in the coming weeks, in order to avoid conflicts in business interests.

Either way, Noah has become quite a pariah.

American Christians have condemned the film for its go-green message that takes the place of biblical accuracies. The movie director, in fact, has been widely quoted as bragging that he’s helped bring a very non-biblical Bible story to the big screen.

Darren Aronofsky’s exact words, as reported by The Telegraph: Noah was the “first environmentalist” and this adaptation of the Bible story is “the least biblical biblical film ever made.”

Jerry Johnson, president of the National Religious Broadcasters group, told The Telegraph that one core problem with the film was “the insertion of the extremist environmental agenda” and the portrayal of Noah, acted by Russell Crowe, as caring more for the Earth than for God.

At the same time, the movie has seen plenty of love from others, grossing $99 million in its first six weeks of U.S. release, the box office tracker Exhibitor Relations reported. Another $233 million has come from overseas crowds, the Los Angeles Times reported.