UK regulator bans Disney Predator advert over violent imagery visible to children

The UK’s Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) has banned a Disney advertisement promoting the upcoming science-fiction film Predator: Badlands after ruling that it was likely to frighten and distress children. The decision followed complaints from parents who said the digital roadside poster was inappropriate for public display, particularly in areas where young children could easily see it.

The advert, produced by Disney subsidiary Twentieth Century Studios, appeared on a digital billboard in Giffnock, near Glasgow. It depicted a large alien figure holding up the severed upper body of a smaller figure, with the lower half missing and the spine exposed. Additional imagery included close-up shots of the alien’s distorted face and sharp teeth, accompanied by the caption “welcome to a world of hurt.” Parents who complained argued that the imagery was disturbing and unsuitable for outdoor advertising, where there is no way to restrict the audience by age.

Disney defended the advert by stating that the severed figure was not human but a robot, known in the film as a “synth,” and argued that its mechanical nature reduced the likelihood of harm. The company also noted that the film carries a 12A rating, that the most graphic image appeared for less than two seconds in a ten-second advert, and that earlier versions of the artwork had been reviewed and amended following third-party feedback.

Despite these arguments, the ASA concluded that the advert breached the UK advertising code’s rules on social responsibility and harm and offence. The regulator said it was not clear to viewers that the smaller figure was non-human and judged the exposed torso and spine to be gory and potentially frightening to younger children. It also found that the alien’s menacing appearance and threatening caption increased the likelihood of distress.

As a result, the ASA ordered that the advert must not appear again in its current form and reminded Disney of its responsibility to ensure that advertising content likely to cause distress is not visible to children. Disney said it accepted the ruling and reaffirmed its commitment to meeting advertising standards.