Wonder Woman banned in Lebanon over Israeli star Gal Gadot

UPDATE: Wonder Woman has officially been banned in Lebanon, the Associated Press reports. An unnamed Lebanese security official told the AP that the ban was issued by the minister of interior Wednesday, ahead of a planned premiere for the film later that day.

EARLIER:Wonder Woman has been well-reviewed by critics and eagerly anticipated by moviegoers, but it appears to be in for a cold greeting in Lebanon. According to an Associated Press report, the country is seeking to ban the Warner Bros. movie because lead actress Gal Gadot is an Israeli.

A formal request for a Wonder Woman ban has not yet been received, an unnamed security official told the AP. That process would begin with a recommendation from a six-member committee from the Ministry of Economy.

A Warner Bros. spokesperson declined to comment to EW.

Lebanon is officially at war with Israel, and a decades-old law boycotts Israeli products and prohibits Lebanese citizens from traveling to Israel or doing business with Israelis. Nevertheless, Wonder Woman posters and billboards have been spotted around Beirut, and the film is scheduled to premiere Wednesday in at least one theater in the capital city.

Films linked to Israel have been barred in Lebanon before, such as the 2013 terrorism drama The Attack. The movie was made by a Lebanese-born filmmaker, Ziad Doueiri, but shot in Israel.

Gadot, 32, is a former Miss Israel and completed two years of mandatory service in the Israeli Army. Her previous screen credits include three Fast & Furious movies and Batman v. Superman: Dawn of Justice.