A TV advert for the DVD release of Angelina Jolie’s action blockbuster Wanted has been banned in the UK for glorifying violence and the use of guns. One viewer complained that the advert portrayed guns in a glamorous fashion and was unfit to be shown early on a Saturday morning, when kids are watching.

The Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) has concluded that the advert could never be shown again in its current form ruling that the ad gave the impression that “using guns was sexy and glamorous”.

The ad includes a voice-over describing the film as “the coolest movie of the year” as well as describing Jolie’s performance as “blazingly sexy”. It shows Jolie kissing co-star James McAvoy during a high-speed car chase, and both firing guns towards the viewer.

Universal Pictures have however defended the advert, claiming the “fantastical” nature of the comic book source material was reflected in the ad. The studio was quoted as saying:

“Many other action films, which had strong male leads, had not been complained about, [Universal believes] some people did not like to see a woman in a strong lead role and that was the reason they objected to the ad, rather than because they had concerns about violence.”