This article is more than 4 years old

This article is more than 4 years old

Film company 20th Century Fox has apologised for a billboard that features Jennifer Lawrence’s X-Men: Apocalypse character Mystique being strangled.

The imagery of Oscar Isaac’s character Apocalypse choking Mystique is sometimes accompanied by the tagline: “Only the strong will survive”. Actor and filmmaker Rose McGowan said there was “a major problem when the men and women at 20th Century Fox think casual violence against women is a way to market a film”.

Rose McGowan criticises violent X-Men poster as 'offensive and, frankly, stupid' Read more

In a statement, Fox said in highlighting the villainy of Apocalypse, “we didn’t immediately realise the upsetting connotation of this image in print form”.

The studio apologised and said it was removing promotional materials with the image. Fox added it “would never condone violence against women”.

McGowan shared a Facebook post criticising the posters with the comment, “Fuck this shit”.

Sasha (@ThatSashaJames) Exec #1: This is a great poster!

Exec #2: I agree! It's not problematic at all! pic.twitter.com/roRDiTIeml

“There is a major problem when the men and women at 20th Century Fox think casual violence against women is the way to market a film,” she elaborated in an interview with the Hollywood Reporter.

“There is no context in the ad, just a woman getting strangled. The fact that no one flagged this is offensive and, frankly, stupid.”

She quoted a friend’s discussion of “the brutality of that hideous X-Men poster” with his nine-year-old daughter.

“Her words: ‘Dad, why is that monster man committing violence against a woman?’ This from a 9-year-old. If she can see it, why can’t Fox?”