Earlier today, it looked like the Cold War was about to ramp back up again (as if it hasn’t already) when it was announced that Russia might be banning the new live-action Beauty and the Beast because of that “exclusively gay moment” involving Gaston’s sidekick LeFou (Josh Gad). But never fear, reports of Russia’s response to the movie have been overblown (much like the response over here to that particular scene): instead of banning it outright, they’re giving it a mature rating.

Vyacheslav Telnov, the Russian head of the Culture Ministry’s film department, told Kinopoisk.ru (via Deadline) that the movie will still be screened across the country, little kids just won’t get to see it. “We will issue the film distribution license without any problems. The minimum age is 16+,” he told the publication.

The Russian movie and TV rating system follows a pattern similar to the American one: 0+ more or less corresponds with the American G, 6+ to PG, 12+ to PG-13, and then they have 16+, and 18+. By this model the 16+ rating is a little harsher than PG-13, but not as restrictive as an R. Still, weird that 16-year-olds over there would seem to be measurably more mature than preteens, but not as mature as adults. What this means is, the movie’s not outright banned, but most of the target audience, small children, will be lost. The “moment” itself has been talked up so much in the past week, according to the director, that many who are uncomfortable with something like that in a children’s film, like that Alabama drive-in, are about to feel very silly.

Beauty and the Beast hits theaters March 17.

More From 1025 KISS FM