Walt Disney has been unable to obtain permission to show its new Pixar movie Lightyear in 14 Middle Eastern and Asian countries and the animated film appeared unlikely to open in China, the world’s largest movie market.

A Lightyear producer said authorities in China asked for cuts to the movie, which Disney declined to make, and she assumed the movie would not open there either. The animated film depicts a same-sex couple who share a brief kiss, which prompted the United Arab Emiratesto ban the film.

It said the couple’s relationship violated the country’s media content standards. Homosexuality is considered criminal in many Middle Eastern countries...