(VOA News) WASHINGTON —
Two very different films are set to come out on July 21. One is about the development of the world’s first nuclear weapons. The other is about Barbie.

Which one has proved to be contentious on the global stage? Surprisingly, it’s not the Oppenheimer biopic.

Instead, the much-anticipated “Barbie” has stoked controversy in both Vietnam and the Philippines this week, with the former banning it outright and the latter considering a similar move.

Over the years, Barbie manufacturer Mattel has come under fire for producing dolls that aren’t diverse and that some have said promote unrealistic body standards.

But now the brand has inadvertently strayed into geopolitical quarrels with the movie’s inclusion of Beijing’s controversial nine-dash line on a map.