Disney Announces (Then Retracts) R-Rated Film From Streaming Platform

Walt Disney Co. DIS raised eyebrows earlier this week by announcing the addition of the 2001 film “Kiss of the Dragon” to its Disney+ streaming service, which would have been the first R-rated feature on the family-friendly platform. However, the company did an abrupt about-face and yanked the title from its line-up.

The Film In Question: “Kiss of the Dragon” is a French-produced martial arts-fueled thriller starring Jet Li, Bridget Fonda and Tchéky Karyo. At the time of its release, film critics faulted the production’s high level of violence, which was cited by Chinese censors in banning the film.

Disney’s distribution arm Buena Vista International handled the global release for the film while U.S. exhibition was handled by 20th Century Fox, the predecessor company of 21st Century Fox that Disney acquired in 2019. For its U.S. release, the Motion Picture Association gave “Kiss of the Dragon” an R rating.

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A Publicity Error: Disney+ included “Kiss of the Dragon” in a preview reel on YouTube highlighting the new titles coming to the streaming service, with an April 29 premiere date. The inclusion of “Kiss of the Dragon” created some surprise – although Disney+ set a precedent last month when it added six programs from its Marvel Defender series with TV-MA ratings, “Kiss of the Dragon” would have been the first R-rated title.

However, Disney+ sent out an update to the entertainment media announcing that “Kiss of the Dragon” would only be streamed in Canada – the earlier announcement including it for U.S. viewership was a mistake. The platform also removed the preview reel featuring “Kiss of the Dragon” from its YouTube page.

Disney has traditionally posted productions with mature subject matter to its Hulu streaming service, but “Kiss of the Dragon” is not part of that platform’s programming. However, it can be seen on Netflix NFLX, Amazon AMZN Prime Video and AT&T’s T HBO Max.

Photo: Jet Li and Bridget Fonda in "Kiss of the Dragon," courtesy Buena Vista International