Director James Cameron has made some of the most boundary-pushing films of the last few decades. The filmmaker is obsessed with crafting visually compelling cinema and never compromises on his artistic vision. However, this quality of Cameron might be the real reason one of his most underrated sci-fi movies has been pulled from Disney+.

In 1989, Cameron directed the sci-fi film The Abyss, which explores a submarine rescue crew’s mission in the deep ocean where they encounter an unexpected threat. The movie holds an 89% rating but was pulled from streaming in the UK because of one unwatchable scene. Here is why The Abyss is no longer streaming on Disney+ in the UK.

James Cameron made a name for himself during the 1980s with hits such as The Terminator and Aliens. Near the decade’s end, Cameron helmed The Abyss, which grossed $90 million (via Box Office Mojo) despite positive reviews that gave it an 89% score on Rotten Tomatoes.

For years, the film remained an underrated addition to Cameron’s filmography, with no way to watch it on streaming until it was added to Disney+ following a 4K restoration of the original cut. In the film’s original cut, a scene depicted an actual panicking rat being plunged into oxygen-rich liquid.

At the time of the film’s release, the scene had proven controversial, and the British Board of Film Classification ordered that it be removed from the final cut and subsequent re-releases on home media and TV broadcast in the UK (via IGN).

The scene was restored to the movie for its updated edition, which was added to the streaming service. However, following intervention from the RSPCA, which described the inclusion of the rat abuse scene as the makers taking advantage of a loophole in the system, the movie was pulled from the streaming service in the UK.

Before The Abyss was added to the streaming service, a physical release of the restored version was planned in the UK. However, it was allegedly canceled after the Avatar franchise director refused to make the cuts demanded by the BBFC (via Film Stories).

After the movie was added to streaming, the RSPCA, one of the largest animal welfare organizations in the UK, objected to the controversial rat abuse scene being added to the movie despite the BBFC previously refusing to provide a fresh certificate unless the scene was removed.

However, the RSPCA has maintained that it remains open to an edited version being added to the streaming service in the future, provided the controversial scene is removed.

This was instead about highlighting a loophole that currently exists allowing animal abuse scenes deemed unacceptable elsewhere to be streamed freely and legally into our homes.

A representative of the organization made the above statement (via The Independent), adding that the goal was to protect the public from animal abuse content by having the movie pulled from streaming. However, Disney+ has not commented on whether The Abyss will be reinstated to the platform in the future in the UK.