Lebanese Campaign Calls to Boycott New Spider-Man Film Over Israeli Producer's Support for Israel

The Lebanese newspaper Al-Akhbar, affiliated with Hezbollah, reported on Wednesday about a boycott campaign in Lebanon targeting the new Spider-Man film, "Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse," due to the involvement of Israeli-American producer Avi Arad. Arad, a key producer of the Spider-Man series since 2002, has publicly expressed support for Israel, prompting calls from the campaign to reject the film's screening in Lebanon.

The boycott campaign's Facebook page urged the public to avoid financially supporting the film, which is set to release in Lebanon on July 30, citing opposition to normalization with Israel and its policies. Al-Akhbar highlighted a 2024 letter from Arad criticizing U.S. Senator Chuck Schumer for his comments about Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and elections in Israel, accusing Schumer of betrayal. The article also noted Arad's defense of Netanyahu during the ongoing conflict.

The campaign against supporters of Israel in Lebanon has previously succeeded in canceling the participation of Israeli doctor Sharona Russ at a Lebanese conference earlier this month. The newspaper linked the film's release to the ongoing war in Gaza, now approaching its third year, and the continued military operations and destruction in southern Lebanon, including the demolition of homes, schools, cultural centers, and cemeteries.

This boycott reflects broader resistance within Lebanon to any normalization efforts with Israel, emphasizing the political and social tensions surrounding cultural products associated with Israeli figures amid the protracted regional conflict.