China pulled “The Da Vinci Code” from all movie theatres yesterday without giving a reason for the decision, reports Times Online.

An official from the New Century Cinema in Beijing had been ordered to stop showing the flick. This is where the film opened on May 17th at a glamorous premier, just hours before it opened at the star-studded Cannes Film Festival.
“We were told it’s due to special reasons. If you want to watch it you had better come today,” he said.

Officials at the Film Bureau declined to comment. However, film company executives said they had been told that the movie was being withdrawn to make way for Chinese films. But the major Hollywood blockbuster, “Ice Age: The Meltdown” was still released, even though it is expected to gross very well at the box office.

It is thought that film regulators may have made the decision after protests from religious groups. China’s state-run Church had urged its followers to boycott the film, accusing it of violating religious ethics, for example.

“The movie has many details that go against the Catholic teachings or are even insulting,” said Liu Bainian, the vice-president of the official China Catholic Patriotic Association.

The film has been banned in several Indian states, as well as Fiji, Pakistan and some other countries, for offensive religious issues. But this one may have come as the biggest shock, considering the length of time between the release date and the ban.






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