James Cameron’s beloved sci-fi film The Abyss has been removed from Disney+ in the UK due to the inclusion of a banned scene.
The original version of the 1989 film includes a scene in which a rat is dunked into a vat of fluorocarbon liquid — and a real rat was used in production. The rodent is believed to have survived, but that didn’t stop groups like charity The Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (RSPCA) from taking steps to have the scene removed 36 years ago.
The scene was subsequently cut by the British Board of Film Classification (BBFC) under the Cinematograph Films (Animals) Act 1937, which means it must be cut for any theatrical use. The BBFC also cut the scene under the Video Recordings Act 1984, meaning it must not be included on releases on formats such as Blu-Ray and DVD. Similarly, the scene should also not be aired on traditional TV in the UK.
Despite this, a version of the film that included the banned scene was added to Disney+ a few months ago in April. In response, the RSPCA called out what it described as a "loophole" that enabled the banned rat scene to make it onto Disney+ in the UK, pointing out that streaming platforms are not bound by the same standards as film releases in cinema, DVD, or on traditional television.
