DUBAI: Officials across much of the Muslim world said Thursday that the upcoming big-budget Hollywood film “Noah” featuring Russell Crowe as the ark-building prophet will not be shown in local theaters because it could offend viewers.

The decision comes after the film sparked controversy among conservative Christians in the US, which prompted Paramount Pictures to add a disclaimer to its marketing material saying that “artistic license has been taken” in telling the story.

Director of media content at the National Media Center in the UAE, Juma Al-Leem, told The Associated Press that the movie will not be allowed in local cinemas because it contradicts Islam traditions.

“There are scenes that contradict Islam and the Bible, so we decided not to show it,” he said, adding that UAE censors watched the film before deciding to ban it. “It is important to respect these religions and not show the film.”

Paramount Pictures told the AP that along with the UAE, censors in Qatar and Bahrain also have confirmed they will not release the film because “it contradicts the teachings of Islam.”

One of Islam’s most revered religious institutions, Al-Azhar in Egypt, issued an edict saying it objects to the film because it violates Islamic law by depicting a prophet and that this could “provoke the feelings of believers.”

Officials in other Muslim majority countries said government censors probably will not approve the movie.

Mohammad Zareef, an official with Pakistan’s Central Board of Film Censors, said the government body generally does not approve films that touch on religion. “We haven’t seen it yet, but I don’t think it can go to cinemas in Pakistan,” he said.

Tunisian Culture Ministry spokesman Faisal Rokh said the government does not authorize the screening of films that cover the lives of prophets due to local sensitivities. As is the case in Morocco, he says there have not been any requests by local distributors to show the movie.