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James Cameron’s iconic sci-fi movie The Abyss has been removed from Disney+ UK due to a prohibited scene.
The 1989 film features a scene where a rat is submerged in fluorocarbon liquid, using a real animal during production. Although the rat reportedly survived, organizations like The Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (RSPCA) campaigned for its removal decades ago.
The British Board of Film Classification (BBFC) cut the scene under the Cinematograph Films (Animals) Act 1937, mandating its exclusion from theatrical releases. The Video Recordings Act 1984 further required its removal from formats like Blu-Ray and DVD, as well as traditional TV broadcasts in the UK.
Despite these restrictions, Disney+ included the banned scene when adding the film to its platform in April. The RSPCA criticized this as exploiting a regulatory gap, noting that streaming services face fewer restrictions than cinema, DVD, or TV releases.
Last month, David Bowles, RSPCA’s Head of Public Affairs, stated: "The RSPCA is deeply troubled by a loophole that allows scenes of animal cruelty, deemed unacceptable elsewhere, to be streamed into homes without restriction.
"The controversial rat scene in The Abyss has long been a concern for the RSPCA and deemed inappropriate by the BBFC, making Disney+’s decision to include it puzzling.
"We must protect audiences from content that depicts or endorses animal cruelty.
“As entertainment consumption evolves, the legal framework must adapt to consistently safeguard both people and animals."
Per GamesRadar, Disney has now removed The Abyss from Disney+ in response. "This isn’t about erasing content — we’d support Disney+ restoring the film if the problematic scene is cut, as is standard for cinema, TV, and DVD," Bowles clarified.
"This highlights a loophole allowing scenes of animal cruelty, unacceptable elsewhere, to be streamed freely, and aims to shield audiences from such content."
Disney has not announced when The Abyss might return to Disney+ UK.
