Maniac remake banned in New Zealand for being injurious to the public good

Last Updated on August 2, 2021

Guess New Zealand isn't digging Frodo's new look…

New Zealand’s Office of Film and Literature Classification has banned the Wood-led remake of MANIAC in all forms except for festival-only screenings, meaning it will not be seeing a theatrical or DVD release there.

According to Neil Foley of Melbourne, Australia-based distributor Monster Pictures which is (or was) handling MANIAC, the ban “is an insult to the intelligence of the adult population of New Zealand and does little more than to serve as an open invitation to illegally pirate the film. We are flabbergasted."

MANIAC has been programmed for New Zealand International Film Festival's Incredibly Strange section by Ant Timpson, with screenings scheduled for Auckland and Wellington only. Incredibly Strange programmer Ant Timpson had this to say about the banning:

The OFLC decision says that the film may be ‘injurious to the public good’ if it goes out on a wider release. It's saying that the POV nature of the film mixed with the psychopathic behaviour of actor Elijah Wood is more than disturbing, that it’s potentially dangerous in the hands of the wrong person (that is, a non-festival goer). It's only my opinion but I simply don't agree with this decision."

More on this drama as it comes in…

MANIAC hottie Nora Arnezeder