Pro-Palestinian campaigners in Lebanon, Jordan and elsewhere in the Arab world have called for a boycott of Spider-Man: Brand New Day over producer Avi Arad’s support for Israel and his rejection of criticism directed at Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu during the war on Gaza.

The Campaign to Boycott Supporters of Israel in Lebanon urged audiences not to purchase tickets for the film, arguing that financially supporting a production involving figures who have publicly backed Israel amounts to “cultural normalisation.”

“Do we want to support a production involving individuals who have publicly expressed political support for Israel?” the group said in a social media statement ahead of the film’s release.

The campaign called on the public to avoid paid screenings and said its position reflected its opposition to normalising Israel or its policies.

In Jordan, the Taharrak anti-normalisation group issued a separate statement calling for the film to be boycotted and excluded from the schedules of Jordanian cinemas.

The group also urged the Jordanian Artists Syndicate, cinema operators and other relevant bodies to take a position against its screening. The calls have since been amplified by activists and content creators in other Arab countries.

Spider-Man: Brand New Day, released internationally on July 31, stars Tom Holland as Peter Parker and is directed by Destin Daniel Cretton. Marvel lists Arad as one of its four producers alongside Kevin Feige, Amy Pascal and Rachel O’Connor.

The campaign focuses on Arad’s political record rather than the film’s plot or its other cast and crew members.

Arad, a former Marvel Studios chief who holds Israeli and US citizenship, served in the Israeli military between 1965 and 1968 and was involved in the 1967 Six-Day War.

In a 2024 letter published by entertainment news outlet TheWrap, Arad rebuked then-US Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer after the senator described Netanyahu as an obstacle to peace and called for Israel to hold new elections.

“It’s not your war. It is not your country. And it is not you who is at risk,” Arad wrote, arguing that Schumer had no right to influence Israel’s electoral process. He also described himself as a proud former member of the Israeli military and rejected Schumer’s position on a ceasefire.

Campaigners say those statements demonstrate Arad’s support for Israel’s conduct during the Gaza war and argue that ticket purchases contribute financially to a production associated with him.

The effect of the campaign on attendance remains unclear. The film continued to screen in Lebanon despite the boycott call, with a representative of the Grand Cinemas chain telling Lebanese publication L’Orient Today shortly after its release that demand remained high.