A group of Egyptian jurists and archaeologists are demanding a financial compensation of $2 billion from Netflix for allegedly distorting the image of Queen Cleopatra and ancient Egyptian civilization.

They claim that Egypt has the right to an initial compensation of $2 billion for distorting the “Egyptian identity”.

The team also stated that Egypt has the right to take legal actions to preserve the tangible and intangible Egyptian heritage, whether ancient or modern.

Netflix aired a documentary film about Queen Cleopatra VII that caused controversy as it portrayed the ancient Egyptian queen as black, supporting Afrocentric claims that the ancient Egyptian civilization was of black origin.

Nevertheless, Egyptian archaeologist Zahi Hawass stated that during one of his lectures in Los Angeles, he was protested by people objecting to his refusal to consider Cleopatra being black.

Hawass emphasized that Cleopatra was burgundy in color, not dark-skinned, and this is a fallacy bought into by African Americans.

He said that “our film, which we released about Cleopatra, also received international attention, and this film responded strongly to the whole world.”

Legal adviser and attorney of the Culture Minister, Essam Khalaf, submitted a complaint with the Public Prosecution against the Netflix platform in Egypt for committing several violations due to the release of the documentary film “Queen Cleopatra.” Khalaf demanded that the movie be canceled from the Netflix platform and permanently prevented from being shown.

Khalaf accused the platform of allowing the series to be shown without obtaining approvals for reviewing the artistic idea and the way it is embodied, not obtaining the approval of the Antiquities and Culture ministries regarding the embodiment of a historical Egyptian figure, and not obtaining a permit to film works containing archaeological features in Egypt.

Egyptian lawyer Mahmoud al-Semary previously filed a case with the Public Prosecutor to shut down the Netflix platform in Egypt following the trailer release of “Queen Cleopatra,” a new documentary depicting Cleopatra as a black woman.

Al-Semary demanded that serious legal action be taken against those responsible for the making of the documentary and blamed the Netflix management team for its participation in “this crime”.

Netflix’s “Queen Cleopatra” documentary received the worst audience rating ever in TV show history on Rotten Tomatoes, according to a Forbes report.

The series got a one percent audience approval rate due to the great turnout of Egyptians expressing their anger at its falsification of history.

The Netflix film about the story of Cleopatra made her appear dark-skinned as if her origins were African and not Macedonian.

Egypt is a country with rich cultural heritage, and it is understandable that the portrayal of one of their iconic figures could cause controversy.

It is important to respect and preserve cultural heritage, both tangible and intangible.

However, it is also important to recognize that the representation of historical figures is subjective and can vary depending on the artist’s interpretation.

As such, it is crucial to approach these representations with an open mind and engage in informed discussions that respect different perspectives.