Vietnam has banned “Uncharted” starring Hollywood’s actor Tom Holland for containing the so-called ‘Nine-dash Line’ that China uses to delineate almost entire South China Sea as its national waters.

Uncharted movies: Sony Pictures

The decision was made following a film review by the National Film Appraisal and Classification Council, a few days ahead of the release of “Uncharted” in Vietnam on Mar 18, according to Vi Kien Thanh, head of Cinema Department under the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism.

Sony’s action-and-adventure caper “Uncharted” that grossed US$278 million worldwide so far, the 4th highest-grossing film of 2022, shows a map featuring the so-called ‘Nine-dash Line”, which China uses to show the maximum extent of its claim in the South China Sea. Through the resource-rich sea, one-fourth of the global trade passes through.

It prompts a question on how the Nine-dash Line was inserted in the blockbuster. The computer-generated imagery (CGI) in the movie was partly commissioned from DNEG. DNEG, which wins six out of the last ten Academy Awards for ‘Best VFX’, has offices in China.

“Uncharted” lengthens the list of movies banned for featuring Beijing’s unilateral map that also covers Vietnam’s waters. The map has got international condemn and protest. 

In July 2021, Netflix Inc., an American over-the-top content platform and production company removed a six-part television series “Pine Gap” from its platform over the controversial map. The removal was made five days after Vietnam’s request.

In 2020, Netflix cut several scenes from the Chinese series “Put Your Head On My Shoulder” and an American political drama television series “Madam Secretary” for having similar maps.

In 2019, CGV film distributor was fined VND170 million ($7,390) for showing animation movie “Abominable” with the Nine-dash Line while some officials of the Cinema Department were reprimanded for having approved the film. 

A paper map in the movie without nine-dash line. Photo: Sony Pictures

The movie CGI shows nine-dash line.