James Cameron’s beloved sci-fi film The Abyss has been removed from Disney+ in the UK due to the inclusion of a banned scene.
The original version of the 1989 film includes a scene in which a rat is dunked into a vat of fluorocarbon liquid — and a real rat was used in production. The rodent is believed to have survived, but that didn’t stop groups like charity The Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (RSPCA) from taking steps to have the scene removed 36 years ago.
The scene was subsequently cut by the British Board of Film Classification (BBFC) under the Cinematograph Films (Animals) Act 1937, which means it must be cut for any theatrical use. The BBFC also cut the scene under the Video Recordings Act 1984, meaning it must not be included on releases on formats such as Blu-Ray and DVD. Similarly, the scene should also not be aired on traditional TV in the UK.
Despite this, a version of the film that included the banned scene was added to Disney+ a few months ago in April. In response, the RSPCA called out what it described as a “loophole” that enabled the banned rat scene to make it onto Disney+ in the UK, pointing out that streaming platforms are not bound by the same standards as film releases in cinema, DVD, or on traditional television.
Speaking last month, David Bowles, the RSPCA’s Head of Public Affairs, said: “The RSPCA is really concerned that a loophole currently exists allowing animal abuse scenes deemed unacceptable elsewhere to be streamed freely and legally into our homes.
“The Abyss’ controversial rat scene has long concerned the RSPCA, and has always been deemed unacceptable by BBFC — so it’s hard to fathom out why Disney Plus has decided to broadcast it.
“We need to ensure people are not being exposed to content which promotes or showcases cruelty to animals.
“As the way millions of households consume entertainment changes, it’s vital the legal framework is responsive to that and continues to consistently protect people and animals.”
As reported by GamesRadar, Disney has now pulled The Abyss from Disney+ in response. “This isn’t about cancel culture — we’d welcome Disney Plus reinstating the film to their platform, just with this troubling scene removed — as is already the case in cinemas, on TV, and on DVD,” Bowles said in a fresh statement.
“This was instead about highlighting a loophole that currently exists allowing animal abuse scenes deemed unacceptable elsewhere to be streamed freely and legally into our homes — and protecting the public from having to see this animal abuse content.”
Disney has yet to say when The Abyss will return to Disney+ in the UK.
Lex Briscuso is a film and television critic and a freelance entertainment writer for IGN. You can follow her on Twitter at @nikonamerica.
