Controversy is a quick way to make headlines in the entertainment industry, and sometimes, things can cause a big enough stir to be banned. Whether it's cartoons, specific episodes, or even a performer being banned from a project, hearing about the ban hammer being dropped always makes for an interesting read.

Back in 2001, The Profit was gearing up to raise a ruckus with its themes of cults and con men, but this little film wound up biting off far more than it could chew when it came into the crosshairs of a major organization.

Let's take a look at the film in question and see how it became banned.

Banned Movies Aren't Too Common

For the most part, just about every film is able to be made and released without a whole lot getting in the way of audiences getting the chance to see it, but every once in a great while, a film will cause a big enough stir to warrant being banned in one or more countries. This does not happen all the time, and it usually takes a lot for a movie to be shelved from the public.

In the history of the U.S., there haven't been too many films that have been banned, and many times, these films do wind up getting a release after the ban is lifted. Film itself has been around for eons, and it goes without saying that a movie getting banned winds up making headlines in no time given how rarely this occurs. A movie being banned has happened in nearly every decade since the 1910s, but despite this, it still occurs infrequently.

There are a number of reasons why a movie might receive a ban, though religion and politics have certainly played a part in a number of films being withheld from the public. Back in 2001, a movie was gearing up for release that caused a stir in a specific religious community and quickly came under fire.

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'The Profit' Dives Into Cults And Con Men

Never heard of 2001's The Profit? Well, the film itself was a tiny little project done by Peter Alexander, and it was intended to take a fictional look at cults and con men. Seems innocent enough, right? Well, this film might have claimed to generalize things, but there was one group that it really seemed to hone in on.

According to CMU, "The Profit was written and directed by Peter Alexander, who spent 20 years in the Scientology cult and gave over $1 million to the organization. Alexander is a former executive at Universal City Studios, and was the creator of several famous theme park rides, including Back to the Future, Jaws, and ET."

Now, given his background with the Church, one might assume that Alexander would try and be a little more cautious with his storytelling, but clearly, he thought he had done enough to make the film's characters and themes come across in a broader sense. Unfortunately for him, people weren't fooled.

Despite what the film was trying to do, many people took note of the fact that there were a number of similarities here to the Church of Scientology. The religious group wasted absolutely no time in gearing up for a case against the movie. Suddenly, this little project about con men and cults was going up against a major religious body that has featured names like Tom Cruise and John Travolta.

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The Church Of Scientology Had It Banned

So, how did the ban hammer get dropped on The Profit? Well, the similarities were simply too obvious to ignore.

Even the St. Petersburg Times coulnd't help but identify the smilairities in their review, saying, "The Profit is a rant against Hubbard and Scientology, no matter how many cults the filmmakers claim to have researched and incorporated into the story."

An interesting ripple to note here is that the Church was convinced that this movie was going to have them viewed unfavorably in the eyes of jurors for a separate case involving a woman who died under the Church's care.

Thanks to their suit, the movie was banned from distribution indefinitely. In 2007, the injunction was finally lifted, but the ban hammer was swung again, preventing the film from being distributed. It has since leaked online, but to date, this controversial film has never had a proper theatrical release on a wide scale.

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The Profit certainly ruffled the wrong feathers back in the 2000s, and the movie is a rarity of a banned film that may never see a proper release.

Next: Here's What M.I.A. Has Been Up To Since Being Banned In The U.S.

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