Brüno gets the snip to become more teen-friendly
Universal Pictures have made an unprecedented edit to Sacha Baron Cohen’s spoof comedy Brüno to give it a 15-rating
Film-goers aged between 15 and 18 will get the chance to see Brüno - Sacha Baron Cohen's comedy documentary about a camp Austrian fashion reporter - thanks to an unprecedented move by Universal Pictures to cut back the 18-rated film's most sexually explicit scenes. When the edited film goes on release on July 24 it will be the first time in British film history that two versions of a film have been in cinemas at the same time. The studio hopes that the new teen-friendly, alternative Brüno, which runs 1min 50sec shorter than the original version, will boost box office takings by tapping into the younger market. Universal says hordes of teenagers were turned away from cinemas on Friday, when the 18-rated version went on release. Brüno set a UK box office record as Britain's biggest 18-rated film to open on a Friday. The film also claimed top spot at the US box office on its first weekend. The sex scenes have been edited but not removed entirely. They include a scene between Brüno and his boyfriend, a visit to a swingers' party which includes a real sex shot as well as a sequence in which Baron Cohen's character simulates oral and anal sex with a ghost during a visit to a spiritual medium. "A lot of that scene" has been edited out, said Universal president David Kosse.
It is not the first time Brüno has been back to the cutting room. A scene in which Brüno attempts to get Michael Jackson's phone number from his sister La Toya was removed following the singer's death "out of respect".
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
Sign up for Today's Best Articles in your inbox
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
-
7 beautiful towns to visit in Switzerland during the holidays
The Week Recommends Find bliss in these charming Swiss locales that blend the traditional with the modern
By Catherine Garcia, The Week US Published
-
The Week contest: Werewolf bill
Puzzles and Quizzes
By The Week US Published
-
'This needs to be a bigger deal'
Instant Opinion Opinion, comment and editorials of the day
By Justin Klawans, The Week US Published
-
Sport on TV guide: Christmas 2022 and New Year listings
Speed Read Enjoy a feast of sporting action with football, darts, rugby union, racing, NFL and NBA
By Mike Starling Published
-
House of the Dragon: what to expect from the Game of Thrones prequel
Speed Read Ten-part series, set 200 years before GoT, will show the incestuous decline of Targaryen
By Chas Newkey-Burden Published
-
One in 20 young Americans identify as trans or non-binary
Speed Read New research suggests that 44% of US adults know someone who is transgender
By The Week Staff Published
-
The Turner Prize 2022: a ‘vintage’ shortlist?
Speed Read All four artists look towards ‘growth, revival and reinvention’ in their work
By The Week Staff Last updated
-
What’s on TV this Christmas? The best holiday television
Speed Read From films and documentaries to musicals for all the family
By The Week Staff Published
-
Coco vision: up close to Chanel opticals
Speed Read Parisian luxury house adds opticals to digital offering
By The Week Staff Published
-
Abba returns: how the Swedish supergroup and their ‘Abba-tars’ are taking a chance on a reunion
Speed Read From next May, digital avatars of the foursome will be performing concerts in east London
By The Week Staff Published
-
‘Turning down her smut setting’: how Nigella Lawson is cleaning up her recipes
Speed Read Last week, the TV cook announced she was axing the word ‘slut’ from her recipe for Slut Red Raspberries in Chardonnay Jelly
By The Week Staff Published